The Black Sheep
by LordFrieza
Summary: This is the Story of Thomas Wayne. Assassin, Bounty Hunter, and son of Wonder Woman and Batman. His tale is not for the faint of heart and it covers from the death of Doris Quinzel to his death several centuries later.
1. Chapter 1

(I couldn't help myself. After writing "Remembrance" I had to write the story of Thomas Wayne from the Death of Doris Quinzel until his death. Hold on this is going to be a hell of a ride!)

**The Black Sheep**

(Gotham City Warehouse district)

Doris Quinzel stepped out of the small apartment she had above the old Jolly Jack warehouse. Her father and mother had stopped using the warehouse and it was fairly safe to stay in it if you knew where the traps where. She smiled as she thought of her father. To everyone else he was a psychotic evil clown, but to her he was a good enough father that he kept her away from both him and her mother. She would see them occasionally, but their visits usually ended with him running from the police and laughing manically.

As she closed the door she didn't hear the footsteps behind her. She wouldn't have known anyone was there until his hands grabbed her sides and he pulled her into an embrace.

"Thomas…" She purred as he kissed her neck.

"I missed you today." He said as his hands moved up her sides and lifted her shirt.

"You know that if a patrol car comes along we'll both be trouble." She said as she turned to face him.

"Then let's go inside." He said as he opened the door, picked her up, and carried her over the threshold.

Once inside both of the lovers shed the clothes they had been wearing. Doris smiled as she looked at Thomas' well toned chest. She traced a scar left by a biker he had angered and fought at basic human strength. They kissed deeply as his hands roamed over her finding every little place that would bring a squeak of pleasure. That's when she finally noticed the bandage covering part of his handsome face. She looked at him questioningly.

"I got a tattoo today." He said as he removed the bandage showing a pair of Valkyries wings that started at the corner of his right eye and ended at the corner of his right side of his mouth.

She smiled and touched it.

"Is that angel wings?" She asked.

"No, it's the wings of a Valkyries. They're better than angels. They find those brave souls worthy of entering Valhalla and take them home after they die in battle." He said looking at her.

She smiled and grabbed the sheet off of the bed and pulled it up behind her trying to make it look like wings.

"Am I your Valkyrie?" She asked.

"Always and forever." He said as he picked her up and fell into the bed with her.

Over the course of the next hour they made love being one with each other and never breaking the bond that had formed since the night they first met. She smiled as she lay there next to her beloved, or her 'puddin' as her mother would say. She traced a line down his chest and looked him in the eyes.

"Do you like kids?" She asked out of the blue.

"Sure I guess. Don't know since I haven't been one in a while." He said with a questioning look.

"Better find out soon. I took a pregnancy test and it said that we have a bundle on the way." She said she kissed him deeply.

At first his mind seemed to draw a blank, and then a smile crossed his face. He kissed her deeply again and both of them felt things building up to another round of love making until the police radio attached to Thomas' pants went off. He looked up when the dispatcher said Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc had escaped from Arkham. Thomas looked at Doris who was getting up and grabbing a stashed Harley Quinn costume that her mother had hidden in the old warehouse. She then grabbed two of the high voltage joy buzzers and place one on each hand.

"Let's go Puddin'!" She said sounding too much like her mother.

"Doris I don't think that it's a good idea. I mean this is Croc. He's eleven feet tall for Hera's sake!" He said using the name of the Goddess that his mother often used.

"Puddin I'm coming either with you or behind you. So if I go with ya then you can protect me!" She said. Finally giving in he grabbed his clothes and dressed. Stepping out you would think that Harley Quinn was going out with a member of the Hell's Angels. They walked down to his classic Harley Davidson Fat boy and climbed on. He started the engine and shot off toward the last known location of Killer Croc.

(Gotham City Main sewer line)

Thomas and Doris had climbed down into the sewer and looked for where killer Croc may be hiding. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"So why are you chasing down Batman's enemies? I mean with him and your mom in town why not leaves it to them?" She asked.

"Batman is too busy as it is with Scarecrow. I know that he is loose somewhere in the city and he has planted several fear gas bombs. It's only a matter of time until he releases it and that takes a little more precedence over someone like Croc. Besides I want to show everyone that you don't have to be a member of that stupid League to keep people safe. Well that and there is a huge bounty on Croc. Last time when he broke out it was 600,000.00 dollars. That's enough to make sure that we can have a house and lawn." He said as he walked deeper into the sewer.

She smiled and followed him. It was good that he had dreams. She knew that he didn't want any help from his dad, and he was determined to make it on his own. Although she would have been just as happy to stay above the Jolly Jack Warehouse she knew that this was important to him. She was so caught up with what was happening that she didn't notice the huge shadow standing to the side. It wasn't until she heard Thomas yell and go flying that she saw Croc.

The criminal known as Killer Croc stood twice as tall as Doris. She looked at him with a sense of awe as he reached for her. She jumped back and switched on the joy buzzers. When his hands were down she grabbed his wrists and watched as the huge jolt of electricity ran through him. Croc yelled and jumped back. He picked up a piece of the stone wall and threw it at her. She jumped out of the way with the grace of a natural gymnast. She laughed at him with the same laugh her mother had when she tried to please her father. Croc looked at her and smirked.

"Joker's little girl? Oh this is going to be sweet!" He said as he jumped toward her. She tried to jump out of the way but he caught her leg and pulled her up to his face. Holding her so she could see his face he licked her.

"Tell me did your daddy ever tell you why I hate him?" Croc asked.

"Daddy never tells the same joke twice!" She said as she tried to grab his arm with the joy buzzers only to find that they were out of juice.

"Looks like 'daddy's' toys are broke." He said as he grabbed her neck and held her up to look at him.

"I always wanted to break his neck. Guess that you will do." Croc said as he began to laugh.

Thomas looked from where he landed to see Croc holding Doris. His eyes widened with fear as he ran toward where Croc was holding her.

"Doris no!!!" He screamed as Croc forced her head around to face Thomas.

He watched as Croc dropped her body and laughed again. Something inside of him went dead and rushed toward the criminal. Croc tried to hit Thomas only to find that the 'biker' was way stronger than himself. Thomas grabbed Croc's arm and bent it backwards until he saw bone sticking out. The criminal tried to back away but found his head in the hands of the 'biker' who had crawled up his back and now was trying to rip the head from his shoulders.

Killer Croc rammed his back against the wall, but finally everything just seemed to slow down and then stop. He looked at the face of the 'biker' as his body fell. A few moments later everything went black.

(At the end of the tunnel.)

Diana looked toward Thomas and saw what had happened. She could see the girl that he tried to get her to like before laying dead and in his hands was the head of Killer Croc. Thomas threw the head to the ground and looked down the tunnel at both his mother and father. He picked up Doris and cradled her next to him as he walked down the tunnel.

"You could have been here. You could have raced down here and saved her! Athena could have raced down here and saved her! But no she wasn't good enough to be a Wayne was she? After all she was the daughter of the Joker and couldn't be trusted! Guess that I'm not good enough to be a Wayne either…" he said as he turned and walked past them while holding her close to him.

"I won't leave you down here baby. I'm going to take you and put you that park you loved. "Happy's funland" wasn't it?" he asked her ever cooling body. He felt his mother coming up behind him.

"Thomas no one wanted this." She said feeling the sorrow pouring off her son.

"You know she was carrying your grandchild, but then they wouldn't have been good enough either would they?" he spat at her.

"I didn't realize… Thomas I wouldn't have wanted her to die anyway…" She said as she touched his shoulder. He pulled away from her like her hand burnt him and showed her no sign of weakness as she looked at him.

"Save it. You're not my mother! My mother was a hero! My mother would have rushed down here to save her life! You're nothing more than a pale imitation of what my mother was." He said with hate in his voice. He climbed the ladder with Doris on his shoulder as he heard his mother begin to cry.

The moment he reached the top of the ladder he looked at the one person who had took the time to teach him the tricks of the trade. Standing there Lobo looked at the girl he was carrying.

"Oh frag! Did that fraggin bastich that did this?!" He said looking at Doris.

"He's dead. You can have the bounty. It's less since he's dead, but I don't care. I'm taking her to her favorite park. It would mean a lot if you could come with." He said as he carried his greatest treasure.

"You got it kid. Lead the way." Lobo said.

(Happy's Funland)

It didn't take long for Joker and Harley to arrive when they heard what happened. The Joker was please that the boy who was basically his son-in-law had killed Croc. His warped mind however held both Wonder Woman and Batman to blame for her death.

"Kid I promise I won't stop until both Batsy and Wonder Bitch pays for this. No one hurts anyone of my family 'sept for me!" He said as he turned and walked off.

Although no one could ever prove it Thomas heard the Joker cry for a moment before he finally reached his car. Harley however reached down and held her baby. She cried and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Baby at least you can have all the fun you want!" She said through the tears. She then looked at Thomas and hugged him.

"You're like the son that we tried to steal." She said as she kissed his cheek

"If you ever need anything just call us sweetheart." She said as she got up and dropped a picture of her, Joker, and baby Doris into the grave.

Lobo watched the parents of Doris leave and didn't try to stop them. Granted both of them had a huge bounty, but Thomas was like his own son and he wouldn't add to this right now. However once Thomas left he would collect, but for the time being they were safe.

Thomas stood up and looked back toward the warehouse district. He looked at Lobo and shook the older bounty hunter's hand.

"Be seeing ya." He said as he headed toward the Harley and climbed on. He shot off at break neck speed and found himself at Doris' apartment.

(Doris' Apartment)

Once inside Thomas walked over to the bed and grabbed the sheet that had been her wings. He held them close to him and breathed her in.

"I'll always only love you baby." He said as he closed his eyes and lay with her in his dreams.


	2. Bother

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 2 "Bother"**

(Doris' apartment three days after her death.)

Thomas looked at the sheets in his hands. He took them toward the bathroom and grabbed a pair of scissors. Slowly he cut a square from the sheets and treated as though the square may disappear or suddenly vanish. He then placed the square behind a picture of Doris and placed both items into his wallet. Standing there in her apartment he pulled out every form of identification he had. Walking outside he threw all of it into a burning barrel and looked at the darkening sky. Everything was darker than it had been before. He was darker than he had been. He walked back into the warehouse and opened a closet that Doris had told him about. Inside of the closet was a small collection of guns and knives. He grabbed a long distance rifle and two hand guns.

He walked back outside and looked up at her apartment. This was the last time he would be back and he knew it. He once again faced the road and started the Harley. It roared to life and he took off toward Casey's Bar. The bar was a known dive where bounty hunters and hit men would come to and talk about old marks, current bounties, and of course women. He walked in and no one noticed him. His clothes smelled as though he had been on the road for a while and being the place this was no one seemed to care. Slowly he made his way to the back of the bar and sat down behind a group of hit men that where all talking about a big score.

"I'm telling ya this Daggett guy is offering some big money for the head of James Gordon." One of them said

"Not interested Tone. Not only was the guy police commissioner once, but he's the freakin' mayor now! I don't need that kind of heat." The main hit man said as he got up and left.

Tone said there cursing himself for even trying. No one would want to mess with James Gordon anyway since he was protected by the bat. He looked at his drink and gulped it down. Daggett wanted James Gordon dead now and if no one else did it then he would have to. He turned to see a biker walking closer to him. The biker sat down and took out a small dagger from behind his back.

"How much is big money?" He asked.

"The cut for the kill would be two million. That's with his head brought to Daggett and me." Tone said as he tried to swallow down the lump in his throat.

"I'll have his head in here tomorrow. Come to the back with the money." He said as he got up and walked out.

Tone watched the biker and wondered if he would actually be able to do it. After all Gordon would have protection around, but if he did pull it off then it got him off the hook.

(James Gordon's house one hour later.)

Thomas left the Harley a few houses down so that it wouldn't alert anyone in the house to his presence. He walked up to the house and looked it over. The house was a two story, but he saw a window in the attic. Looking at the side of the house he climbed the ivy lattice until he reached the bottom of the attic window. He pulled himself up and looked into the attic. It was dark which told him that the room was empty. He forced the window up and climbed in. He silently moved through the attic and waited until he was sure everyone was asleep.

He lowered the latter from the attic and began to walk through the house. Finally he found Mr. Gordon's room and stepped inside. He walked over to James Gordon and pulled out the dagger he had earlier. He held it and looked at the man laying there. He began to think about not doing it, but then he considered the fact that doing this would separate himself from his family. He drove the dagger down into Gordon's neck and into his spin. James Gordon's eyes shot open, but he didn't move.

Thomas cut Gordon's head off and put it into a pillow slip. He walked down the stairs and to the front door. He opened it and stepped out into the dark. Walking outside he ran toward the Harley and realized how many times he should have been caught by now. That's when it occurred to him that he wanted to be caught. He wanted someone to catch him and kill him.

(In the back of Casey's bar the next day.)

Tone looked at the biker as he sat there. Both he and Daggett walked to the table and the biker brought up a bloody pillow slip. He untied it and let the slip fall so that Daggett could see the head of James Gordon.

"Well kid you did it." Roland Daggett said as he placed a large brief case on the table.

"Two million. I wouldn't be paying it, but Gordon tried to put Daggett Industries out for good. Now he won't bother me anymore." Daggett said as he turned and started to walk away.

"Tone grab our trophy. And kid I'll keep you in mind when I have special orders like this." Daggett said as he headed out the door.

Thomas looked at the money and realized that he could do this for the rest of his life. The money didn't matter, but it would allow him better weapons and he could find a way of being with Doris again.

(Two months later)

Thomas looked around at the old brownstone apartment building he had bought with James Gordon's hit. The apartment building served as both living quarters and training areas. He had stopped being a bounty hunter for the most part. If a bounty was higher than the hit then he would bring them alive, but if not then their asses where grass.

He walked over to his computer. Since starting as an assassin he had kept in touch with Tone and the man had set up appointments for him occasionally. Of course Thomas had also found some jobs himself and now he was looking at a brand new hit. There on the screen was a picture of Nightwing.

(Dick Grayson and Koriand'r's apartment)

Koriand'r walked out of the shower and tapped on the bed room door. She looked in to see her husband and smiled. They had been married going on twenty years, but everyday she loved to watch him get out of bed. He had kept the mantle of Nightwing and so she had kept up being Starfire. She thought of their own daughter who was currently on the watchtower being tested. The girl was only fourteen, but she had some serious talent. She watched him as he stood up and then suddenly there was a sound of the glass breaking behind him. She watched as he jerked forward and then suddenly something burst through his forehead.

"DICK NO!!!" She screamed as she ran toward him. She looked at his lifeless body and then looked out the window and saw a man with a hood over his head across the street duck back into the room he fired from. She screamed in anger and burst through wall of the apartment and flew to the building where the man had been.

"Where are you…? You KLORBAG!!!" She roared as she crashed through the building. Inside she looked at a tall man dressed in biker clothes and wearing a black hood over his face. He didn't raise a gun, but pulled out a knife.

"Why?? Why did you kill him?!" She demanded as they circled.

Thomas took out a picture with the amount attached to it. He threw it on the ground and watched her green glowing eyes widen.

"He was worth more than you." He said as he charged her and pushed her to the floor.

Koriand'r struggled but found this man stronger than her-self. He placed the knife to her throat and pressed causing a little blood to trickle down the blade.

"I could kill you, and one day I will when you are worth it." He said as he slammed his free hand against her head and knocked her out. He got up and walked out of the building and over to the apartment where Dick Grayson was at. Once inside he began tearing out the walls and found the Nightwing costume. He then walked over and took a picture of Dick Grayson with the mask on his face and left with the suit.

Once outside he heard the cops and took off toward the darken alleys. He had made it nearly three buildings down before he felt something hit him. He jumped around the corner and looked at his arm. One of the bat clan had tried to capture him. He turned to look and saw Batwoman or to him his sister Athena.

"I know that you are here." Athena said as she looked around the area.

"Course I am." He said as he pulled out a tranquilizer gun.

"Thomas… Hera no…" She said as she stumbled back.

"They abandoned us Athena. She died because they didn't like her. And I am what I am because of her… their lack of caring." He said as he turned and shot the tranquilizer gun at her. She raised her arm, but the dark stuck into flesh of her hand. She pulled it out, but could feel the effects of strong drug inside of the dart.

"I'm not going to kill you little bat, but I am going to use you to send them a message." He said as she drifted off to sleep.

(Three hours later in Crime Alley.)

Diana looked down at her daughter whose face had been painted to look like Harley Quinn's and attached to her Batsuit was a note along with a digital recording. She picked up the note and suddenly the recording started playing.

_Wish I was too dead to cry, my self-affliction fades. Stones to throw at my creator. Masochists to which I cater. You don't need to bother; I don't need to be. I'll keep slipping farther. But once I hold on, I won't let go until it bleeds._

"Hello 'mother' if you are reading this then I was right in thinking that you would be the first one to find her. Funny you came to Athena far faster than you came for me that night. But then I'm not a girl am I? Being an Amazon you seem to protect her more. Now you have a problem and that is a pissed off male with your strength, his father's intelligence, and who's quite good at being a hired killer. Turn me in if you want, and you should tell dad about this if he doesn't already know. But know that one day I will settle the score. One day I will come and make sure that you can't help the one you love the most. It will be up to them to get away." The note from Thomas read.

Diana closed her eyes and felt her heart breaking. Her son, her flesh and blood hated her and wanted to watch her suffer as he suffered. She lifted her daughter and tried to keep from wanting to find Thomas and take him home.

(Batcave thirty minutes later.)

Bruce struck the table in front of him when Diana showed him the note. He looked at their daughter who was finally starting to come to.

"We have to find him." Bruce said.

"Dad, Thomas isn't who he was." Athena said as she walked over to the sink and started washing her face off.

"I know, but he's a danger every minute he is out there. Not only that, but if there is a chance to reach him we need to." He said as he turned to the computer.

"Bruce did we cause him to be like this?" Diana asked.

"'Princess' we didn't approve of her. We both had our reasons, but we didn't ignore where they were to just make sure that she died. Thomas blames us because we didn't make it in time. I ask myself everyday if I could have been there quicker and I honestly don't know. What I do know is that our son has taken a step into a dark place we may never bring him out of." Bruce said as he slumped into the chair.


	3. Mental Health

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 3 Mental Health**

(The Batcave three days after Nightwing's death)

Bruce looked over the notes again. Dick had been shot through his bedroom window by an assassin who was powerful enough to knock Koriand'r out, but they hesitated to kill Athena. Then the note and music on the digital recorder only added to the fact he already knew. Silently he cursed himself for not seeing this before. His youngest son had faced the very thing that frightened Bruce more than anything else. He leaned back in his chair and tried to think of how he would be if the roles were reversed and Croc had killed Diana. He was sure that he would have killed Waylon Jones as well. He looked back down at the notes and felt the old familiar numbing of his emotions. Thomas would have to be brought in. He didn't want to place his only son in Arkham, but it was there or Blackgate. He stopped when he heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Hello 'Princess'." He said as Diana entered the room.

She looked at the monitor and felt a stab of sorrow as she looked at the picture of her son on Bruce's computer screen.

"What are we going to do Bruce?" she asked as she looked at their son and then looked away in both sorrow and shame.

"There is no choice we have to bring him in. He's too dangerous to allow to run loose." Bruce said as he sounded more like the Batman than Thomas' father.

Diana looked at Bruce and knew that this was how he would cope with this. He would allow the bat to take over and distance himself from everyone in the family. She looked at the other file open on the computer.

"Bruce what is that?" She asked pointing to the slightly hidden file.

He looked at Diana and slightly shook his head. It would pointless to try and hide the file. She would have Athena come down and work her magic on the computer to find it. He opened it full view and she looked at Thomas and Doris Wayne together in a different universe. There with them were at least three children. She watched how happy they where and forced herself to look away.

"Is that real?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered simply.

"Is it a different universe than this one?" She asked.

"It's one of the seventy universes that they both exist in." He answered as he started to shut down the file.

"How many of those universes does she die in?" She asked.

"Including this one?" He replied.

"Yes." She answered.

"There is only one that she dies in. In every other universe either Scarecrow is caught earlier, or one of us goes and investigates Jones' escape. This is the only universe in which she dies and we weren't there to save her." He answers.

"Bruce I am going to Themyscira tomorrow. I want to gain an audience with Athena and see if somehow we can change these events." She said as she turned and walked upstairs.

"Somehow I doubt that it will be possible." He said as he turned in his chair and faced the direction she just went.

(Thomas' brownstone apartment building 2 hours later.)

Thomas walked through the building cursing the slow night. He could feel the memory creeping up on him and wanted to bury it in work. He wanted to remember her, but if his mind drifted too far he could almost hear her crying over what he had become. He walked into the entertainment room and turned on the surround sound and pushed in an old CD of his. He listened as Quiet Riot blasted the night with loud heavy metal.

He slowly felt himself getting distracted and walked toward the cabinets pulling down a bottle of Old Kentucky he unscrewed the top and felt the powerful liquor burn his throat. Slowly his senses began to dull and the memories began to recess back into the darkness of his mind. He turned toward the old TV that was in the building originally and watched as the news flickered on.

(Outside of Thomas' brownstone apartment building 2nd floor.)

Athena looked in on her brother as he listened to the heavy metal and drank the whiskey he held in his right hand. She closed her eyes and tried to think of the young boy she remembered that would play justice league and throw mud balls at her. Slowly she opened the window and crawled inside. She knew that while she was faster than him Thomas was just as strong if not stronger than her-self.

"I hear you Athena. The training never goes away you know." He said as he took another drink from the bottle.

"Thomas I have to take you in. I think that they will allow you to be held on the watchtower until we can get this sorted out." She said to him.

"There is no 'sorting' this out. I'm a killer plain and simple. One day I'm going to kill the wrong person and then I will pay for it with my life." He replied as he drained the bottle and threw it across the room.

"You can't mean that Thomas. Mom, dad it would break their hearts to hear that." She said to him trying to reason with brother.

"Like I give a flying fuck what bothers 'Mother' dear. She can burn in Tartarus or hell which ever you want to believe in." He said as he stood up and faced her.

Athena looked to see the anger and sadness that showed through his eyes. She didn't reach for the utility belt that would be useless. She knew that the only thing she had that would hold him was the lament energy blast. She had to get the small machine onto his spine and hope that it would work like her father believed it would have worked on their mother.

"You know sis it occurs to me that you're the one 'mom' cares for the most. I thought that it might be dad, but I bet if it came down between you and him she would save you first." He said as he raised a pistol toward her.

"Let's see if mommy will come running." He said as he stepped forward.

"Thomas don't do this. I don't want to hurt you." She said narrowing her eyes at him.

"Hurt me? Hurt me? How can anything hurt me? I'm dead inside for her gods sake! Nothing hurts! I would gladly let a thousand bullets rip through my body just to feel something!" He shouted as he pulled the trigger on the pistol.

Athena was graceful, fast, and well prepared. The batsuit took most of the punishment and her speed let her get close enough to slap the lament energy blast chip onto his back. He looked at her and prepared to fire before a huge surge of natural and magical energy tore through his nervous system. She watched as he fell and the gun went off again in his hand hitting the television and allowing only the sound to come through.

"I'm so sorry for this Thomas." She said as she dug out the antipower shackles.

She placed the shackles on her brother and then carried him down the stairs. She opened the door to the batmobile and placed him in the front seat. Somehow she knew that her dad would be angry over this. She knew that he wouldn't want to turn Thomas in anymore than she did, but if he was eluding the police and them then in some way he was still untouched by the realism of it all.

She looked over at her brother as the batmobile headed back toward the cave. She knew that eventually he would say something or do something to break the silence, but for the first time he just stayed quiet.

(The Batcave)

Bruce looked as the batmobile rolled in. He had already changed into his batman persona and now he looked to see Athena exiting the batmobile with Thomas in shackles.

"Thomas." He said as he looked at his son.

"Hey dad the cave looks the same." Thomas replied as he was led toward the teleportation pad.

"We can't take him to the Watchtower." Batman said.

"Dad we can't put him in Arkham! This is Thomas my brother your son he can't go to that awful place!" Athena said to her surprised at the fact he shot down the Watchtower idea so fast.

"If we take him there then Koriand'r or her daughter will be very tempted to take justice into their own hands. Arkham and Blackgate are the safest places for him." Batman said as he looked at his son.

"Dad we would be putting him into the same place as the criminals we catch." She said softly.

"That's because I am a criminal you've caught. Athena I'm a contract killer and a bounty hunter. I deserve to go to Arkham or Blackgate." Thomas said looking at his father with a complete understanding of what needed to happen.

"I won't take him." She said.

"I didn't plan on letting you." Batman said as he led Thomas back to the batmobile and they shot off toward Arkham Asylum.

Athena watched as the batmobile disappeared out of the cave and she lowered her head. She couldn't understand how her father could take his own son to Arkham without a second thought or even the slightest hesitation.

(Arkham Asylum)

Batman looked at his son as they arrived. He knew what would happen inside of the walls of this place. Thomas would get worse than he already was. The isolation and being forced to relive every memory would either harden him into an unfeeling killing machine, or it would drive him insane. Either way this was the last time he would see anything that resembled his son.

"Let's go." He said as they got out and he walked Thomas into the Asylum.

"Who's this?" Dr. Lydia Strove asked as she looked at Thomas Wayne.

"He's the known killer of Dick Grayson, and suspected killer of Mayor Gordon. He needs a psych evaluation and then he needs go directly into isolation." Batman responded as he distanced himself emotionally from his son.

"Well let's get to work." She said as they led him down the glass encased hall of the 'super' criminals.

"New meat coming through." Lockdown said through his cage. As he watched Thomas walk past him.

Dr. Strove lead him into a room and the proceeded to power on a projector. Thomas looked at the series of ink blots being shown to him.

"What does this one look like to you?" She asked.

As he looked at it he saw Doris' lifeless body and Killer Croc laughing as he threw her to the ground like a piece of garbage.

"Some pretty flowers." He answered.

"And this one?" She asked as another picture took its place.

He looked at the ink blot and saw James Gordon's face filled with horror as he drove the dagger down through his neck. He could see the blood spray out and cover him and the bed.

"Butterflies." He answered.

"Look I need you to take this seriously. I can help you maybe even cure you." She said.

"Cure me? Cure me from what exactly? Maybe you could erase my memory and let me be a happy oblivious idiot just like every normal person out there. Then again maybe you could just attempt to condition me into becoming a 'productive' member of society like the unknown rapists and drug dealers. I know maybe you could just kill me and have it done with." He said looking her straight into the eyes.

"It sounds like you have a very low expectation of what we can do here." She said.

"I know firsthand that your 'clients' seldom find a cure. In fact most of them stay just as sick and deprived as they ever were. Those like Waylon Jones never get better." He said as he looked her in the face.

"You're talking about Killer Croc. No he won't get better because he's dead. We found his body in the main sewer junction. It is doubtful that we could have cured him anyway because his physical condition made his mental condition even worse." She said as she filled out a piece of paper and then handed it to a guard.

"You are disturbed, and the fact that you are in those shackles tells us that you are a metahuman. So we have no choice other than to confine you to our special holding cell. It was designed for 'Bane', but it should work on holding you." She said as the guard led him away.

(Bane's old holding cell.)

Thomas found himself locked into energy boundary cage. He walked over to the bed and sat down. That's was before he smelled something strange. He looked around and saw what looked like green gas slowly leaking into the cage. He stood and started to walk, but soon he was out like a light.

(Hidden interrogation room in Arkham)

Thomas opened his eyes to look at Police chief Bullock standing there looking at him.

"How are you doing kid? You know I've never been a big fan of the Bat. Hell I ain't like any of the Bat Family, but I got to say that I like you less. Over the rest of your stay here I am going to personally make your life a living hell. And it is going to start with this." Bullock said as he pushed a button and stepped out of the room.

"Say hello to Dr. Crane." Bullock said as the Scarecrow walked into the room. Thomas began pulling on the shackles only feel them live up to their design.

"This is the first time that any member of the police has allowed me to experiment freely. We shall have to enjoy this." He said as he sprayed Thomas in the face.


	4. Don't Fear the Reaper

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 4 Don't Fear the Reaper**

(Inside of Thomas' fear fed hallucination)

Thomas opened his eyes to find himself not shackled down even in the same room as Scarecrow had been. He looked ahead to see Doris jumping out of the way of Croc's grasp and ran toward them both. As he ran the tunnel began to get longer, but he didn't stop. He could hear the splashing water and smell the rot coming from inside of the walls, yet none of it slowed him down. He reached Croc and back handed the criminal away from Doris. The criminal growled and jumped toward him only to receive another punch to the gut. He slammed his fist into the criminals face and could hear teeth being knocked loose. As he swung again he felt his hand being held in place. He turned to see his mother holding one hand and Athena holding the other.

"Mr. Jones if you please kill the little bitch." Diana said as she held her son's arm away from the criminal.

"No Doris RUN!!!" He shouted.

"Run, where is she going to run boy?" Scarecrow asked from the shadows.

"I'll kill you. I will kill the whole lot of you mother fuckers!" Thomas screamed as he tried to tear loose from the two women that grasped him.

"It's not enough to see her death is it?" Scarecrow asked as he walked over to Croc who was holding Doris up.

"Let's really make this frightening!" Scarecrow said excitedly as Croc threw her to the ground and ripped her Harley Quinn suit off.

"Leave her ALONE!!" He shouted as he began to pull loose from Diana and Athena.

"You're going to have to kill me Thomas." Athena said as she let go and everything faded.

He looked at Athena who stood before him not in the batsuit but in her everyday clothes.

"You know that we didn't hold you back, and you know that the only one who is to blame is you. You weren't fast enough to save her, and you never will be. So now the only alternative is to kill the one responsible. If I am then you have to kill me, but if you are then you have to kill yourself." Athena said as she handed him a knife.

He looked at the blade in his hand and then felt two hands on his wrist.

"Let's make this easier on you." She said as she pulled the knife forward and then fell on it.

He looked in horror at his sister and suddenly she changed into Doris.

"Puddin… I love you." Doris said as she slipped away with his knife in chest. He pulled it out and tried to work on her.

"Looks like another one dead because of you." Scarecrow said as he laughed.

(Arkham Asylum hidden interrogation room)

Scarecrow laughed as he watched Thomas fight through the fear and suddenly he stopped laughing as Thomas broke the shackles that were holding him. He stood up and grabbed the Scarecrow.

"Do you know what the worst fear is? Knowing that the one thing you are afraid of is yourself." Thomas said as he grabbed Scarecrows hand and ripped his mask off. He held the gas release next to Scarecrows face and watched as a huge gust of the fear gas hit him.

"Now where is that fat ass cop?" Thomas said as he walked to the wall and punched it.

The brickwork gave and he found himself under the cells that held the 'super' criminals. He reached up and pulled one of the grates out from a cell above him and pulled himself up. He looked into the eyes of Harvey Dent.

"Who are you?" Dent asked.

"I'm someone who is seriously tired of these stupid mind games." He said as he rammed into the cell causing the huge glass front to crack.

(The crossroads _in the Afterlife_)

Doris looked at the huge line of people ahead of her and behind her. She could hear something about a huge to do going on in Gotham and walked up to the nearest person talking. The man who was dressed in white robes and holding a book looked at her.

"You, you are not supposed to be here. Actually you aren't supposed to be here for another sixty years. Don't tell me one of the Greek Gods got pissed again didn't they? Don't they realize the amount of paper work this puts on us. Not only that, but it creates a singularity. Now we're going to have let this one ride out and hope for the best. Unless someone can put it back to the way it was." The man said.

"Who are you and what are you talking about?" She asked.

"Sorry I'm Simon and I work the gates here. I try to ensure that every universe's souls are matched up here and joined together when they enter. However since you are so early I can't really just let you in. More to the point your well would have been husband is creating his h-chain right now." He said.

"What is happening to Thomas?" She asked.

"He's creating an h-chain or hell chain. Every mortal creates a link and takes a link away by the actions they do. For instance if you kill someone then you create roughly ten links, but if that person was to save say twenty people then you get links added for each person that they would have saved. Right now he's at about two hundred links of chain and only from killing two people. From the way he is taking everything I would say that he is going to be connected to the dark realms pretty soon." Simon said as he looked at her.

"Oh God… Please let me talk to him." She said pleadingly.

"Sorry by rule number sixteen states that no mortal soul may contact anyone once they are in the waiting area. You have to be earth bound to contact." Simon said as he begin to turn around.

"Please isn't there anything that you can do?" She asked.

He looked at her and finally he shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll see if I can contact Hades." Simon said as he left.

(Tartarus Hades secondary palace.)

Hades looked at the mound of books before him. The damned had rewritten, rebound, and reshelf all but this last pile. He picked one up and looked at the names and dates in it.

"I did wonder when they would get around to finishing out the death dates and names." He said as Simon appeared and walked toward him.

"You are not welcomed here saint. Your master and I have a deal concerning the control of this realm." Hades said to Simon.

"I am not here about the deal god of the underworld. I am here because it may concern part of your 'earthly' family." Simon said as he stood looking at Hades.

"Why should I care about Diana? Did I not help her beloved mortal by not interfering with his tests?" Hades asked.

"Yes you did, but it is not her that this concerns. At least it is not entirely her." Simon said as he walked closer.

"It concerns my grandchild Thomas doesn't it?" Hades asked.

"Yes and his soul mate. She is already waiting for entrance to paradise; however, she cannot enter until the other versions of her-self have arrived. More to the point we know what will happen to Thomas in all of his various forms if he continues down this road. The hell he has waiting for him will be much worse and you will not be able to save him from it." Simon said as he looked at the collection of books.

"What should I do then? Should I go to Earth and force him to behave? His soul mate has died and thus his soul is dead already. He is merely waiting for the body to do the same." Hades said as he lifted the soft blue glowing orb in his palm.

"You may be holding the light of his soul, but it is still in his body. The chain has grown long Hades. It would be time to collect the head staff of Chronos and take it to Diana. I do not pretend to tell you that we will agree with this, but I know that my master would rather see Thomas serve his true purpose." Simon said as he stepped back.

Hades looked at the blue orb and thought of his grandson. He did not like the boy's father, but Thomas reminded him much of himself. He was hard headed and fought for what he wanted out of life. He refused to take any charity and made his sister's life harder just for the fun of it. Thomas was worth saving, but he hated the idea of speaking to Diana's mortal. He also didn't want to contact any other member of that wretched league.

"So what in the Tartarus should I do?" Hades asked himself.

(Something new here. I am going to hold a vote. The Choices are simple. Should Hades help Thomas through Diana? Should things change so that Doris never died in the first place? Should it stay the same and Thomas remain a contract killer? Or Should Diana find another way for things to work out through the goddess Athena?)


	5. No More Mr Nice Guy

(This is based on the Should Diana seeking help through the goddess Athena option.)

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 5 version 2 "No more Mr. Nice Guy"**

(Arkham Asylum court yard.)

Harvey Dent breathed in the fresh air as he watched another guard fall to their death. The bastards had enjoyed teasing them; now let them grow wings and fly. He looked back at the man who had led to the escape. He seemed preoccupied with an old suit that belonged to Harley Quinn. The way he held it almost seemed as if he was studying to see if it was real.

"Why did you spring us? It isn't that we aren't grateful, but it would seem that you could have escaped without our help." Two Face asked.

"She would have wanted me to set things right here before I left." He answered.

"Who is this she?" Two Faced asked as he walked closer to Thomas.

"Doris Quinzel." Thomas answered simply as he folded the Harley Quinn outfit and tucked it away under his shirt.

"Quinzel… Do you mean Harley Quinn's daughter? Shit you're the one that killed Croc. It serves that bastard right he always cheated us at cards." Two Face remarked as he watched another guard learn to fly.

"What are you going to do now?" Two Face asked as he brought his famed coin out and held it.

"I'm going to go back to Gotham and see if I can find Ra's." Thomas said.

(Tartarus Hade's throne room.)

Hades paced back and forth several times before finally coming to a decision and walked over to the head staff of Chronos. He lifted it and then thought about contacting Persephone so she could deliver the staff head to Diana, but he knew that his daughter would believe his motives were not entirely honorable. Naturally she was partly correct in that respect. He did want to save Thomas, but he wanted to for his own reasons and not for his 'earthly' family as Simon called them. He walked over to his throne and then it occurred to him that he merely needed to contact Apollo and see the future. He walked over to the tapestry of the damned and found a soul he believed Apollo would want released for this information. Having found what he believed to be tribute enough he contacted his brother. Moments later Apollo appeared and looked at Hades with distaste.

"For what reason do I owe the pleasure of this visit Hades." Apollo asked.

"I am in need to see the future. I wish aid the Amazon Princess with her quest to save her son. I doubt that she would want or accept my help willingly, so I wanted to know whom she will contact and when." Hades said.

"I will do that for you Hades, but I want tribute." Apollo demanded.

"I have found a soul that you where interested in once back in the ancient times." Hades said as he watched Apollo's interest peek.

"Naturally I am speaking of Cassandra of Troy of which you granted some of your powers. You understand that as part of her curse she was cast into Tartarus. I can release her into the mortal world again. Not only that, but allow her to be reborn and be allowed a second chance. I know that you wanted her badly enough that you where willing to turn her into a titian." Hades stated as he held her piece of the tapestry.

"We have an accord. I shall tell you what I see and you shall allow Cassandra to be reborn, but I shall choose where and when brother." Apollo replied.

"That will be fine. Now tell me what you see."

Apollo stood still for a moment as the power of light gathered around him. It began to bend at such an angle that he could see the future and what it held. He stopped after a moment and turned to Hades.

"She shall consult Athena about Thomas' salvation and at that point Athena shall inform her of Chrono's head staff. She will come here to quest for it. Do not allow her to simply take it. Doing so will result in her distrusting the head staff and causing a terrible end for Thomas. Allow me to show you." Apollo said as he raised his hands and touched Hade's forehead.

(Gotham city warehouse district 300 years in the future.)

Thomas looked at the ruins of the city around him. For the last three hundred years he had been hired out to kill and even killed for the Gods his mother serves. Still it seemed odd that no matter how much time passed, no matter how many new and old faces he saw, he still only saw her at night. When he closed his eyes he would see Doris and for at least a few hours he felt peace. Then the morning would come and he would wake up to the world that is. His last act as an assassin was to kill Lanis Kent.

The city around them showed the effects of their fight. They had literately fought through all of Gotham after he had tried to kill her with the same bullets that he had used on her father. It was then he found out that she wasn't really Clark's daughter. She was the daughter of Zeus himself and so it had come down to a fight to the finish. She had gotten in a lot of good hits and broke at least three ribs. He stood holding his side and looked to see Athena Wayne, his sister, looking at him in shame. He reached up and pulled the metal Arkham inmate mask off of his face.

"You're going to be tried for this Thomas." She said as she walked toward him.

He smirked to see that she was still wearing clothes from the batclan. She was the last member of the Batclan alive and she would be the only one to carry the mantle.

"Are you taking me in Athena?" He asked.

"I have to Thomas I don't have a choice. But it won't be in front of a normal court. Thomas you are going to be judged by the gods themselves now." She said as she grabbed him and tapped the transporter beacon.

Within seconds they stood in front the goddess Athena's temple where both his grandmother and mother were praying to the goddess for him. He walked inside his hands inside of the reinforced binders that where designed to hold Superman so they would hold him as well.

"Thomas Wayne come forth." The voice of the goddess said.

Thomas walked toward Athena and looked at the goddess. She looked into the eyes of a lost child who no longer had a purpose. For a moment she felt his sadness as if it was her own, but what must be done would be done.

Thomas you have committed crimes terrible enough that in 'your' world would be punishable by death. Zeus believes that we should simply trap you within the deepest pit in the underworld and leave you there to rot. However your mother and grandmother had prayed to me and I am willing to answer their request. Thomas what would you consider an act of mercy?" She asked.

"An act of mercy would be to send me to be with her, with Doris." He said simply.

"You realize that for you to be reunited with her your soul will have to be cleansed. The death you face will be painful and terrible and you are not allowed to scream even once. Are you sure that this is what you consider mercy?" She asked.

"Yes. Do it." He replied.

"Thomas I believed that you mothers..." She began to say before he looked at her and shook his head. "Do it please." He said.

She nodded and looked at both Diana and Hippolyta.

"Take him to the center of the island. Once there he is to beaten, strapped down and disemboweled. Do not give him anything for the pain, and do not restrict his mouth. If he screams then his soul is lost." Athena said as she disappeared.

Diana looked at Thomas and then turned away sharply. Hippolyta felt her heart go out to her grandson. No matter what he had done, no matter how far he had fallen he was part of her daughter and she still loved him as her daughter loved him.

"Guards take him to center of the island." She said as she forced the tears back.

The guards grabbed him and forced him to follow them. He offered little resistance other than to look back at Athena. He noticed the temples on the way and as they neared he noted that some of the gods had appeared to watch his death. He felt the guards strip the shirt from his back and then felt them as they touched his back gently as though to feel every bruise, scar, and burn mark he had acquired from the last fight and everyone before that.

"A beating will not make much difference to you will it?" one of the guards asked.

"It would if I wanted to live." He said as he felt them strap him to a post and then felt the crack of a club to his back.

Soon the first was followed by a second and third. Within seconds he could feel little more than horrid pain from broken ribs and ripped skin. Still he said nothing while they did this. Finally the beating ended and he felt them pull him roughly from the post and lay him flat on a table. He watched as a knife was passed until finally it came to rest in the hands of an Amazon who walked toward him and touched his forehead.

"I know why you choose to do this. No one not even one of our own has ever made it through the ordeal without screaming. I pray that you are able to make it through." She said quietly to him. She placed the knife to the bottom of his rib cage and began to push it in. He gritted his teeth and nodded. He felt her pull the knife down along his stomach and finally the knife stopped right above his groin.

He wanted to scream as he felt her pull on his intestines and slowly pull them out through the wound she had just given him. His eyes squeezed shut at the terrible feeling and through it he kept his mouth tightened.

Athena watched her brother as he was being killed and it was everything she could do to keep from running to him. She turned away and looked at her mother who seemed so lost. She walked to her and both women pulled each other into an embrace.

"Mom… why? Why is he going through this? I thought that he would take what you were praying for." Athena said as she held on to her mother.

"This is what your brother considers mercy. Hera, I didn't intend for this to happen to him!" She cried as she felt her knees growing week.

Hippolyta watched her grandson and while she hated this happening to him she could see the warrior spirit he had. She walked down to him and felt each step getting harder and harder. Finally she arrived and placed a hand on his head.

"Thomas you can ask. You can ask the gods to forgive you and the death will stop. Do you want to ask for their forgiveness?" She asked him.

He shook his head no and continued to hold his mouth tightly shut. He turned his head toward the gods and that's when he saw her. She was wearing the old Harley Quinn costume and smiling to him. She walked past the gods and Amazons to his side. Leaning down she kissed him deeply and looked into his eyes.

"Baby let's go home." Doris said to him.

He felt himself lift off of the table and he grabbed her. She smiled as he pulled her into an embrace and they kissed again.

"I've missed you." He said as they held each other.

"And I've missed you too." She said as they walked off together slowly disappearing.

Diana looked where they had just been and then looked at his now dead body lying on the table. She could feel the tears forming, but she wondered exactly how she had seen this herself. That's when she looked at her daughter who was still holding her hand. Slowly Athena let go and looked up at her mother.

"That's the gift that Hades gave me." She said.

(Tartarus the present)

Hades looked at Apollo and nodded. Since Diana would quest for the head staff he would need to ensure that it would not be easily obtained. It would be helping Diana, but she would never know and he would remain exactly what he appeared to be to her.

(Wayne Manor the next day.)

Diana finished preparing for the trip to Themyscira. She walked down to the invisible jet and looked toward the Batcave again. She knew that at this moment Bruce was trying to fix the problems happening at Arkham. She only hoped that lady Athena would have an answer for her.

(Arkham Asylum three hours later)

Batman looked over at his daughter who had taken on the mantle of Batwoman. She noticed what he had noticed the moment they arrived. Nearly all of the guards were dead and from what they could tell the doctors wouldn't be much better off. Still someone had finally managed to alert what was happening, but who and where was unknown.

(Inside of the medical center of Arkham Asylum)

Thomas stood above the room where all of the doctors had been gathered into. He watched Two Face smiling as they pulled the head doctor into a room.

"Dr. Landing we have a question for you. Do you want to live?" Two Face asked.

"Of course I want to live!" The young woman shouted.

"Then we will let you choose who should die in your place." He said as he lifted his twin 45 pistols.

"Please don't make me choose." She said.

"That's fine with us." Two Face said as two men were pulled out.

He held up his famous coin and showed her the unscarred side.

"They both live." He said as he turned the coin over. "They both die."

He flipped the coin and watched as the scarred side came up. Without hesitation he fired the guns and killed both doctors. She watched in horror as another two were brought out to them.

(The back of the room where Two Face and Thomas was at.)

Batman watched as Two Face brought two more doctors out. He waited for a moment before he threw a couple of gas pellets toward the two.

Thomas heard the pellets hit the floor and backed up toward a riot locker and ripped the front off of it. He grabbed a gas mask and pulled it over his face.

"Why are you doing that?" Two Face asked before he passed out from the gas.

"That's why Harvey. Hello father." Thomas said as looked the room over.

(Themyscira)

Diana walked up to Athena's temple and bowed before the goddess.

"Lady Athena I come before you humbly to ask how I may save my son Thomas from the fate he is setting for himself." She said to the deity.

Athena walked toward Diana and looked at her.

"You will need to travel back to before his soul mate was killed by the criminal Killer Croc. This means that you will need the head staff of Chronos and currently it resides with Hades. He will not want to give it up easily, and you will need to travel there now." Athena said as she turned.

"Will Hades part with it easily?" Diana asked already knowing the answer.

"Has he ever parted with anything easily?" Athena answered her question with another one.


	6. Voodoo

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 6 "Voodoo"**

(Arkham Asylum medical center)

Thomas looked both his father and Athena over. For the last half hour they had played this game of cat and mouse, but he was ready to leave and find Ra's al Ghul. The near immortal terrorist could be the only person that could give him what he wanted. It would mean making a deal with the devil, but it was something he was more than willing to do.

"Thomas you've got to stop this!" Bruce roared as he saw the imprint of his son's heat signature behind a wall.

"Dad I'm leaving Arkham and I'm going into Gotham. Dent informant relayed to him and me that Ra's is in town. I'm going to see if there is a way to…" He stopped as he thought about what he saying.

"The Lazarus pits won't do that son. At least she won't be the way that you remember. Each time someone uses that pit part of their humanity is stripped from them. Do you really want to do that to her?" Bruce asked as he closed in on his son.

"I'm not only thinking of the Lazarus pits dad. I'm also thinking about Dr. Drumme." Thomas said as he grabbed a steam valve and began to tear it loose from the connecting pipe.

"You're thinking of that voodoo priest. Thomas even if the magic he can do is real you must know that it comes with a price." Bruce said as he neared Thomas and then turned away when the hot steam poured out toward him. He turned back to see that Thomas had used the distraction to disappear much like he would.

(The Gates of Tartarus)

Diana looked at the sealed gates of Tartarus with distaste. Beyond she could smell the fires and brimstone that awaited her. She looked at the sword, shield, and lasso she now had with her. Almost as if an invitation the gates began to part and she walked inside. Once through the gates slammed shut and she knew there was no turning back.

(Hades' Palace)

Hades looked at the crystal ball one of his seers had prepared and watched Diana enter the land of the damned.

"My lord shall we sound the attack or do you want your daughter to find little trouble?" The seer asked.

"Sound the attack, but do not send all at once. I want her to think that I don't know why she is here." Hades said as the seer pulled the long rope connected with the ancient bell.

Within seconds a horde of flying demons headed toward Diana with nothing but the battle in mind. The Amazon Princess prepared and soon was attacked by twenty demons. She slashed and knocked them away only to have them replaced by more. It almost seemed that the attack would be endless; however, the lasso began to glow a bright gold and several of the demons screeched with terror and fled. She felt one grab at her and pulled back. When she did she looked to see her uniform had been slashed through and the demon had managed to wound her side.

"I will not be stopped Hades." She said as she continued toward the black palace.

Hades watched his daughter and smirked. She was much like Hippolyta and Persephone. It amused him to see her continue on for her son. The very thought that an Amazon would go through so much to protect a man was enough entertainment to last for a few decades. He would have to remember this when he would obtain an Amazon soul. It could provide an excellent chance to bring them down a notch knowing that their Princess had married, had a son, and went through Tartarus literally to save him. His amusement ended when he heard the seer sound the second wave.

Diana looked ahead to see a legion of demons dressed in armor. She cursed loudly and brought the shield up for protection. No sooner had she brought it up then a huge sword struck it. She felt the shield vibrate and then crack from the strike. The Demon on the other end laughed and struck again. This time the shield broke in half and she caught the next strike with her own sword. She looked at the huge demon as it gazed down on her.

"Tiny Amazon do you really think that you can defeat me? I am legion, for I am many." He said as he struck again. This time she dodged and brought the sword up into his gut.

The demon howled and she watched as he began to break apart and fell into several smaller and much weaker demons.

"No please mercy! Mercy on us we only do what we are told!" The head demon said as it bowed before her.

"Lead me to Hades. Do not even think of betraying me." She said as she roped the lasso around him.

The demon nodded and began to slowly move toward the dark palace.

"Does Hates know why I am here?" She asked.

The demon shrugged his shoulders.

"I am a guard and not much more. I am used to scare most warriors away, and since in my combined form I can destroy Amazon shields and bracelets I am used to fight lower level Amazons. I wanted no part in fighting you, but the order came from Hades himself. I would suspect that he knows you are after something, but he may just want to watch your actions to see what." The head demon of Legion said as they neared the palace.

"Is the side entrance still unguarded?" She asked remembering the last time both she and Shayera came to Tartarus.

"The side entrance is less guarded, but guarded all the same." The demon said.

"Leave and alert no one." Diana said as she released him. The demon ran off toward the other demons who where lost without their leader and head of the body of Legion.

Diana made her way to the western entrance and watched. There was three guards but the distance they where to each other would make it easier to sneak in and remain unnoticed. That was if she wasn't in the mood to smash something. She took the sword and threw it toward the first guard. He caught it and looked to see the Amazon Princess' fist as it first began to smash into his face. Diana rode him to the ground and ensured that he was out. She then began to move toward the second and the third. Once all three demons where out cold she walked into the dark palace and began to move toward the throne room where Hades would be waiting.

(Gotham City Nitehaven club)

Thomas walked into the club knowing that Talia was inside. She had come to Gotham some years ago and opened a chain of nightclubs in the false hope of coming in contact with his father again. He smiled to himself thinking of how mislead the woman was. She believed to this day that she was the only one that belonged with his father.

"The Club is closed for repairs please come again some other time." Her thick voice said as she stocked the cooler with spirits.

"I'm here for information not a stiff drink." Thomas said.

Talia turned around and looked at the man standing before her. He looked like his father in the face with the exception of the tattoo. He was also slightly taller than his father and that most likely came from the combination of both Bruce's and Diana's genetic gifts to him.

"I must say that you are every bit as hansom as your father, but what information could you require from me?" She asked as she hoped over the bar and looked at him.

"Ra's al Ghul your father dealt with a man named Dr. Drumme. I need to find him." Thomas said looking at her.

"Ahh you want to find the voodoo priest. I would suspect this has to do with her death wouldn't it?" She asked.

Thomas looked at her in anger and curiosity.

"Don't be too surprised not much is kept quiet anymore. I heard from the little fat man who owns the Iceberg Lounge what happened. The daughter of the Joker and son of Batman a match that would seemed doomed from the beginning." She said as she walked toward him and laid a hand on his firm chest.

"You even smell like your father. If I closed my eyes I think that I would believe it was him. I will give you the information that you require, but it will cost you." She said as she turned around.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Be him, be my beloved for only a few minutes. Allow me to experience the joy and rapture that his kiss would stir deep in my soul. I know that eventually the one that is your mother will bore him and he will come to me, but I fear by that time he will no longer be the man I loved. All I ask is a kiss. If it makes it easier please think of me as her." She said as she stepped closer to him.

"I can't betray her like that." Thomas said looking at Talia.

"So much like your father. He would say the same thing to me now if I went to him. You know he was the first, and only one that mattered to me. I am not asking the world Thomas I only want a small memory rekindled for a few minutes." She said as she took his hand.

"I'll find him on my own." Thomas said as he began to turn and leave.

"Fine take the information and go. Drumme is living in Metropolis near the Daily Planet. He runs the magic shop across the street from both his apartment and the Daily Planet. Now leave me." She said as she turned and walked toward the office.

"You know your father had more than just two children. His true first born lives here above the club and is much more suited to the darkness than either you or your sister." She said with venom in her voice.

Thomas walked out and headed down the street toward Casey's Bar. He knew that outside of it would be at least half a dozen motorcycles. He would go to the Brownstone and collect his own Harley, but his father would look there first. Naturally he would come here next and speak with Talia. He knew that if his sister heard the demand Talia would give their father she would punch the daughter of Ra's al Ghul through a wall for their mother.

(Casey's Bar)

Thomas looked at the line of motorcycles surrounding the front of the bar. He walked until he found a suitable replacement for his Harley. He climbed on the motorcycle and began hotwiring it until it kicked over and started. He rolled it back and then shot off into the night as a group of voices called out behind him and soon faded into the background.

(Thomas' Brownstone Apartment building.)

Bruce looked over the training area Thomas had created and smirked slightly. His son had continued the martial arts training he had begun with both him and Athena so long ago. It also seemed that he had also been practicing some of Lobo's famed fighting styles as well. Famed might be a stretch more like a walking anvil smashing everything in sight. He walked further into the training area when a television came on and his son's face appeared on it.

"Hello father or Athena. You are the only ones that could come in here without setting off any other alarms than this one. If you are here than it means that I've been caught and escaped, caught and killed, or just killed. On the third floor is my living quarters and office. In there you will find a complete list of targets and those that have hired me. Some of these people are pretty high profile. I don't ask for understanding, and I really don't care what anyone thinks of me, but know that I did what I did to be with Doris. Eternity is a very long time to be alone, and I've been finding myself dying more inside every day. I want to hate mom for what happened, and I still blame her, but I am finding it harder to justify this burning rage toward her. Don't leave me alone with her. I don't know what I may do and I don't want to kill her. Well that's pretty much everything except for this one last thing. The computers are going through an auto wipe for the memory so the only thing what will be left is the targets and those that hired me. No information about any of you will still be visible." The image of Thomas said as the television said as it flickered and then disappeared.

"Dad what should we do about the information?" Athena asked.

"Gather it and turn it over to the police. They will need to see who need protection and who needs to be charged with murder." He said as they headed upstairs and quickly made a copy of all of the remaining files.

"So where now?" She asked.

"We go to the Nitehaven club. He would have went there and spoke to Talia." He said as they walked outside.

(Nitehaven Club forty-five minutes later.)

Talia lay sprawled out on a table after insisting that Bruce make love to her to find where Thomas had went. Athena rubbed her knuckles and walked to the daughter of Ra's al Ghul.

"Look I don't have the manners that my brother and father possess. Tell us where Thomas went, or I will come in here every night for the rest of your miserable life and do this. And since I know that you have a Lazarus pit below this night club I may make it hurt worse each time." Athena said as she slammed her fist down beside Talia and through the table.

"You are too much like your mother." Talia said as she rose up and grabbed Athena by the back of the neck.

Athena nearly said something when she felt Talia kiss her and then deepen it by moving her tongue into her mouth. Athena backed away shocked by the reaction.

"And it also seems that you also prefer men. I've personally learned that in a long life it is worth experimenting to find someone worth spending time with." Talia said as she held her ribs and then looked at Bruce.

"Beloved your daughter acts like her mother, but tastes like you. Still no one can replace you in my heart. Ask beloved and I will tell you. I will tell you because I know that one day you will return to me." She said as she sat down in a booth.

"Talia what did you tell Thomas?" He asked.

"I told him where Dr. Drumme is. The voodoo priest resides in Metropolis and owns a magic shop across from the Daily Planet. What he doesn't know is that the shop is only visible by those who are immortal or practice magic. Being that he half Amazon that means he can go inside and speak with Drumme. You my beloved will not be able to go inside unless you accompany your daughter in through the door." She said as she stood up and walked to the bar. She reached across and pulled out a bottle of brandy.

She poured a glass and drinks it slowly watching as both Athena and Bruce left. She waited until Athena was almost out and whispered so that only Athena would hear her.

"Come back and visit me little bat. I promise I can open new sights and feelings you never once believed possible." Talia whispered to her.

Athena shuttered at the thought and hoped that Kal Kent Lanis' little brother didn't find out about this. She really liked him and the last thing she wanted was for him to think that there wouldn't be a chance with her.

(Drumme's Magic Shop Metropolis.)

Thomas stood in the doorway of the magic shop and let the feeling come back to his legs. He had ridden the motorcycle way past the speed limit and cut nearly an hour off of conventional speed travel. He heard someone rustling behind the counter and watched as a short man stood up and popped his back. He turned to see Thomas standing there and smiled toward him.

"Come closer and tell Dr. Drumme what you would like. I have the largest collection of voodoo powders and spells available in the United States, and I also have received the latest copy of the Spellbinders guide." Dr. Drumme said as he tried to pitch his normal magic shop trinkets toward the new customer.

"I'm looking for something different. I want to bring someone back from the dead. I learned from a source that you could do that without removing any part of their humanity." Thomas said.

"Do you even know what you are asking? This is a dark thin' you ask. I do not raise them myself, but it is the one the Christians call the devil, and who I call the Shadow man who raises them." Dr. Drumme replied to him trying to convince him not to do it.

"You mean Hades." Thomas said questionly.

"No not the Greek god of the underworld. The one you would have to deal with is much, much worse. Understand that while I can contact him it will cost dearly. Not from me for I won't charge for this. In fact I will wash my hands of it once it is through, but he will want equal payment for his services." Drumme said as he watched Thomas.

"Do it and I will work out the agreement with this Shadow Man." He said as he took a seat.

"Follow me into the back. Take care not to disturb anything and don't speak to 'im until he speaks to you." Drumme said as they walked into the storage room.

They stood in the middle of a large pentagram and Drumme began to chant in an ancient language that Thomas couldn't recognize. He tried to listen, but slowly everything began to get louder around them until all that could be heard was a low buzzing. Thomas watched as the shadows pulled themselves together and formed a dark being that stood before him.

"Thomas Wayne what a pleasure it is to meet you." The Shadow Man said as he looked at the young contract killer.

"You know me?" He asked.

"Of course I know you. I know all of those that do my works. By killing James Gordon and Dick Grayson you have given me more souls than I could have acquired with them alive. So what do you want?" The Shadow Man asked.

"I want to give Doris Quinzel back the life she lost due to Killer Croc." Thomas said looking at him.

"And what shall the payment be for this service?" The Shadow Man asked.

"I will give my life in return." Thomas said as he stood ready.

""It sounds like I will get a bargain, but I must refuse. While a mortal's life is worth much it is not worth the life of an immortal. Not even an immortal that has created a long chain that connects his soul to hell. The two innocent immortal children she will have would be worth it, but they will be restored for free. That is from an authority much higher than my own. So rename the desire and I will full fill it." The Shadow Man replied.

"Bring her back to life and let me be with her until she dies of natural causes." Thomas said.

"That is more like it. Very well I shall return her to life once you have removed her from the grave. Take her body to Arkham Asylum and bring to the highest point. Once there she will be restored to the point before her death. You will have a mortal's life time with her after which you will become my servant and bounty hunter. Whomever I say shall be damned and due for punishment you shall bring them before me and this shall be your life throughout the end of days. Do you agree to these terms?" The Shadow Man asked.

"No he doesn't!" Athena shouted as she ran into the shop.

"NO!" Thomas shouted as the Shadow Man disappeared.

"She was almost back! How could you?!" He shouted at her as he turned to face both her and his father.

(Tartarus inside of the throne room of the black palace.)

Diana stared down Hades as they circled each other. She looked beyond him to see the head staff resting on the throne.

"I will have the head staff of Chronos 'father'." She nearly spat the last word.

"If you can defeat me than take it." Hades said as he lunged toward her.

The two of them began to battle and soon crashed through the walls of the throne room. Every demon could hear the cracking of the foundations and every member of the damned wonder if they would be rebuilding the black palace from scratch once again. Soon Hades and Diana found themselves outside fighting hand to hand. Hades grabbed his daughter and threw her against the column that once held Faust's soul. He watched as the shackles attempted to trap her only to see her pull loose and come back at him with renewed strength and determination. Once again they found themselves trading blows and once again they found themselves being thrown from each other only to renew the fight and continue as if time did not exist.

Finally after hours of fighting and both father and daughter receiving a black eye, busted lips, and bruised ribs did Diana get the better of Hades. She flew at him and dove under her father. As she did she copied an action she saw Bruce do to Phobos so long ago. She struck her father in the groin. Hades stopped and doubled over as he came to his knees. She turned and struck him in the back of the head knocking him face first into the dirt. She then charged over to the throne and took the head staff.

"I am leaving now. Do not follow me or even attempt to stop to stop me 'father'." Diana said as she flew toward the gates of Tartarus.

Hades slowly made his way up and watched as the seer came out and looked at him. He smiled at her and pushed the hood back to reveal Cassandra of Troy.

"Prepare to be reborn Cassandra for the one that cursed you shall be naming when and where soon enough." Hades said as he made his way toward the throne.

(Themyscira Hippolyta's throne room.)

Diana bowed before her mother and lifted the head staff of Chronos' into view.

"Diana my daughter you have done well. With the head staff you will be able to go back and stop the series of events that lead to the dark path your son has traveled on, but my daughter beware it will come with a price. The head staff will change the outcome, but it will not change the one who caused the trouble in the first place." Hippolyta said as she walked up to Diana.

"Who caused this mother?" Diana asked.

"The Norse God Loki caused the trouble. Once he was defeated and Thor cast him out of Asgard forever he was banished from all universes and worlds except for this one. He had bided his time until now to cause grief for those most responsible for his banishment. That is both you and your husband. The Lady Athena informed me of this and it is her belief that he intended to hollow your son's soul out enough that he could come to claim him as a vessel. If he succeeded then he would be able to travel back to Asgard and fight Thor again." Hippolyta said as she touched her daughter's shoulders.

"He will not stop until both you and Bruce have paid for the insult he received. Both you and my granddaughter are welcomed to come here and stay for safety, but I am afraid that your husband, son, and his beloved would be forced to fend for themselves." Hippolyta said softly to her daughter.

"I will not leave them behind mother." Diana said as she arose.

"I did not believe that you would. Go and use the head staff my daughter." Hippolyta said as Diana made her way to the invisible jet.


	7. Feel so Numb

(Everyone be sure to vote on my profile on wither or not Loki should stop Diana or if she should be allowed to save Doris.)

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 7 "Feel So Numb"**

(Drumme's Magic Shop)

Loki watched with interest as Thomas' deal with the devil was ended. He would have allowed Thomas to do this and then collected the empty shell that would be his body once the 'Shadow Man' had finished using him as a bounty hunter and slave. This however could prove to be more entertaining to watch.

Thomas felt the anger and rage inside of himself skyrocket at what happened. Athena had kept the one chance he had of returning Doris to life without any harm to her from happening. He shut his eyes and could feel the dark brooding nature which was a gift from his father slowly take over his senses. When he opened his eyes both Bruce and Athena could see the burning rage in him.

"If you want to keep us apart so badly then you are no family of mine." Thomas said as he reached over to a shelf and grabbed a dagger.

Dr. Drumme ran toward him only get to back handed into the pentagram. The look on the old Voodoo Priest's face said more about the dagger than Bruce could have found out through any method of research. Drumme got to his feet and grabbed a bag of salt. He began spreading it out around him and then began chanting. When he did a sort of shield appeared around him.

The dagger in Thomas' hand began to move and squirm. Its handle, which was made from a section of human spine and a small skull, moaned and then attached itself to Thomas' hand. Once the dagger was attached a dark purple light shined from it and struck the floor.

Athena looked to see demonic creatures crawling out of the light. One of them screamed and became a solid creature in their realm. She watched as the others did the same and slowly they began to take new forms. The first one took the form of Killer Croc; soon the other took the form of Joe Chill. She watched as the other demons took the forms of Dick Grayson, James Gordon, and finally Doris Quinzel. She looked to see Thomas was in a comatose state.

"His great anger and hate has released us." The first demon said as it looked at Athena.

"We shall feast on the souls of those who have separated him from his beloved before feasting on his soul." The demon which took the form of Doris Quinzel said as she jumped toward Athena.

(Metropolis – Daily Planet)

Lanis Kent looked at the desk that her father had managed to get for her. She rubbed her forehead and wondered exactly why she had decided to major in Journalism. Naturally she liked Mr. White who was getting ready to hand the reigns over to a successor he hadn't named yet, but at the same time everyone including Mr. Olsen really took advantage of the fact that she was free labor while in college. That's when she picked up on something strange. She noticed that like her father she had super hearing and could fly, but strangely she could also tell when something magical was happening, and this was something bad. She looked at her dad and hoped that he would remember the cues they set up for each other so they would know that their alter egos where needed.

"Mr. Kent I need to get some something to eat I think that my sugar is getting low." She said as she walked briskly toward the elevator.

Clark looked at her and knew exactly what she talking about. She picked up on something and Superwoman was needed. He followed her like a concerned parent and soon joined her as Superman as they flew from the top of Daily Planet.

"So what's really wrong Lanis?" Clark asked her.

"I can feel something happening across the street in that strange magic shop." Lanis said as they came down in front of Drumme's Magic Shop.

Clark followed her into the shop and looked to see Bruce, Athena, and Thomas. Thomas seemed to be controlling or controlled by several demons.

"Ahh if it isn't the last son of Krypton. You do remember us don't you Kal El? We visited once long ago when Darksied found the dagger of destiny." The demon that looked like Killer Croc said.

"Lanis don't let them touch you! They can tell what brings the deepest, darkest, and most evil emotions within you." Superman said as he unleashed his heat vision full blast at the first demon.

"AHHHHH!!!! Kill the last son of Krypton and the other who wears his colors!" The one that looked like Killer Croc commanded.

(Below Gotham City in the main sewer junction.)

Diana looked at the place where her son had begun to damn himself. She lifted the head staff of Chronos and looked at it.

"Please work." She said as the room began to warp and flux in and out of reality.

(Metropolis – Drumme's magic Shop)

The demons split into two groups. Three of them moved closer to Superwoman and Superman. Lanis looked at her father and lashed out at the first demon knocking it back against the wall. She watched as the demon began to change shape and took the form of Thomas himself. She backed up slowly from it.

"Hey Lanis I know that you've wanted me for a while now. Those nights alone in your room breaking out the old massager to release some pent up tension. I bet that you would love to experience the real thing wouldn't you? Come here and let me show you what it would be like." The demon said to her.

Lanis turned her head away from him and tried to move further back.

"Come on now we both know that you want me." The demon said.

"No I want Thomas not a pale imitation of him." She said as she grabbed a shelf and hit the demon with it knocking it through the wall into the street.

She rushed out after the demon and her father shot the two he faced with his heat vision again.

"How did you beat these things before?" Batman asked as he threw an electrified bat-a-ring.

"Dr. Fate stepped in and helped me. I bought him time and he cast a spell that pushed them back into their vortex." Superman answered.

Bruce touched his communicator and opened a channel to Zatanna.

"Zee are you there?" he asked as both he and Athena launched another wave of snares and traps for the demons.

"Just got out of the shower what do you need Bruce?" She asked sounding annoyed that she was disturbed.

"I need your help. Have Jo'nn transport you to our location." He said as he ended the communication and continued to fight.

(Watchtower – Zatanna's living quarters)

Zatanna growled slightly at being ordered to leave so quickly. She and Dinah had just got back from sealing off a vortex that was allowing the new black Lantern threat to enter their universe. She knew that one day they would find another way back, but at least for now the threat of a newer and much more evil legion of power ring wearers wouldn't reach them. She grabbed her uniform and opened up a channel with Jo'nn.

"Jo'nn I need sent to Batman's location." She said.

"I am transporting you now." Jo'nn's stoic voice said.

She appeared outside of Drumme's Magic Shop to see Lanis fighting with a shape shifting Kondarian demon. That's when she realized that Bruce really did need her help.

"Hey you ugly look over this way!" She shouted to the demon.

The demon looked at her and she unleashed a strong magical blast of energy on it.

(Inside of the Magic Shop)

The demons seemed to be making some head way toward Superman when they heard a scream and watched as their brother went flying back into the vortex.

"No we will not be forced back into imprisonment!" The one that looked like Doris Quinzel said.

For the first time Lanis looked at the image of the woman that Thomas was in love with. She had heard what happened to Doris and hated it for him, but she had never really gotten to know the daughter of the Joker. She could see that the girl had extremely fare skin. It was so fare that it seemed almost like a porcelain doll. Her hair was blonde with a slight greenish tent to it. Her lips where dark crimson red and she was defiantly built like her mother was twenty years ago. It was no wonder that Thomas loved her. She wasn't over the top beautiful, but she was defiantly one of a kind. And now this demon was using her image to keep Thomas imprisoned and a slave to the dagger he held. Lanis rushed toward Thomas and slapped him across the face.

"Wake up!" She shouted at him.

"He won't wake back up until the spell is broken." The demon copying Doris said as she smiled.

Lanis turned toward her. Anger and a rush of other emotions ran through her mind as she looked at the female demon.

"He brought us here with the sense of loss and the chain he has formed. We will continue to feed from his energy and defeat those that caused his pain, and then we will feast on his soul." She said as she rushed toward Lanis.

Lanis kicked the demon in the face knocking her through the wall into the back of the store where Dr. Drumme's spell was still protecting him.

"I'm not even going to change forms. I want you to realize that you never had a chance with him. And when I rip the heart from your chest I want the last thing you see to be the face of the woman he loved." The demon said as it jumped toward her.

(Under Gotham City main sewer junction two months ago)

The air fluxed in and out and time seemed to warp around Diana as she appeared down the tunnel where she stood two months ago. She looked up ahead to see Croc holding Doris by the leg.


	8. Bring me to Life

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 8 "Bring me to Life"**

(Under Gotham City – Main Sewer Junction – two months ago)

Thomas stood up to see Croc holding Doris. He started to run when a flash flew past him. He looked to see his mother speeding toward the criminal and slam into his side. Killer Croc almost dropped Doris, but somehow managed to hang on to her.

"Drop my future daughter-in-law you son of a bitch." Diana said as her eyes narrowed.

Croc studied her for a moment and then acted as if he was going to tear Doris apart. It was at that moment Diana grabbed his right arm and broke it. The huge reptile like criminal dropped the girl and turned his focus strictly to Diana.

"I am going to tear you apart for that. That girl was my chance to get back at the Joker for all of his pranks in Arkham." Croc said as he circled Diana.

Diana watched the criminal and knew that she had to restrain herself. She wanted nothing more than to rip him apart for all of the grief he caused her family. It was his fault that Thomas started down a road of destruction, and it was his fault that her first grandchildren had been lost. She reminded herself that things had changed now and she had managed to save Thomas from this fate, but at the same time the hurt that Jones had caused made her want him to suffer so badly.

Croc lunged for her only to a well placed punch land him into a wall. The criminal started to get up but soon found a very angry Amazon on his back beating him in the back of the head like there was no tomorrow. He stumbled and finally he felt blackness cover him and fell. Diana stood up and looked at the hulking brute. He wasn't nearly as strong as Thomas, but being that he was so close it explained what happened last time. She walked toward her son and touched his face.

Thomas looked at his mother and could see the busted lips, black eye, and way that she held her ribs. He doubted that Croc had done this, but it looked like she had been to hell and back to save him and Doris. She smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Come home and bring Doris with you." She said as she walked to the girl and helped her up.

Doris looked at Diana with a sense of knowing. She hugged the woman who seemed to agree to her and Thomas marrying and leaned in close to her ear.

"Thank you for saving him." Doris said as she stepped back.

Diana looked surprised at Doris for a moment and then nodded.

"I want both of you to move into the manor with all of us. Bruce and I will arrange a wedding, but for now bring him home." She said to her future daughter-in-law. She walked to the end of the tunnel and waited for a moment.

She watched as Thomas hugged Doris against himself and both of them kissed with the same passion that she shared with Bruce. She turned back to see herself coming down the ladder.

"We need to talk." She said to her past self.

The Diana from two months ago looked at this other version of herself while trying to understand what was happening.

"I used the head staff of Chronos to travel back here and stop something terrible from happening that would cause our son to damn himself. That girl he is with needs to be with him. I know your hesitations on letting her into the family, but she loves and understands him. Talk Bruce into letting them both live in the manor. He may not like it at first, but it will save a lot of heartache." She told the past version of herself.

She held out head staff and soon the room began to warp and morph around her. The moment it ended she was still down in the sewer, but everyone was gone.

(Wayne Manor kitchen dining area)

Doris smiled at Thomas as they ate supper. She had heard rumors about strange cravings, but so far she wasn't really eating anything out of the ordinary. Of course the ordinary for her tended to be more along the lines of junk food. She looked at the dinner Alfred had prepared and thanked the older gentleman. She felt Thomas' hands move around her waist and smiled as Alfred informed him that the dining area was for eating, and anything else would be reserved for their bedroom. Her attention changed once again when she turned to see her mother-in-law come in. She kissed Thomas deeply and then excused herself for a moment.

"Hi mom thanks for everything." Doris said as she hugged Diana.

"What exactly do you remember?" Diana asked her.

"More than I tell Thomas. I don't like not telling him, but from what I understand he was spared the memories of what he did." Doris said as she looked at her mother-in-law.

"So you remember what Croc did to you?" Diana asked.

"I remember everything. I know that when I 'died' I went to a waiting area and a guy named Simon said that he would talk to Hades for me. I listened to everything that was happening to Thomas and pleaded for them to let me talk to him or anything, but the best they could do was set things in motion for you to save him." Doris said as she smiled gently.

Suddenly Doris seemed to turn slightly green and she headed straight toward the nearest bathroom. The sounds of her vomiting brought a concerned Thomas who ran toward the sound and held Doris' hair back as she finished getting sick.

She got up and walked into main hall. She sat down and laid a hand on her stomach.

"So why are you making mommy so sick?" She asked the two children that where forming inside of her.

Diana smiled at her and remembered the days of morning sickness. It was false to call it morning sickness though. The nausea would last all day long and cause no end of visits to the bathroom. She walked toward the kitchen and looked at both Bruce and Athena as they sat at the table reading the morning paper.

(Tartarus)

Apollo appeared before Hades and Cassandra. The girl was still just as beautiful here in Tartarus as she was on earth. Apollo looked at them both and then turned directly to Hades.

"She is to be born as one of Thomas Wayne's children. I will come to collect her when her powers of prophecy has fully developed I will come for her." Apollo said as he looked at Hades.

"I will abide by our agreement." Hades said as he held the piece of tapestry in his hand and soon it changed to show Cassandra being born in Gotham instead of Troy and it coming into reality now instead of the past. Cassandra looked at herself as she began to disappear and wondered if she would remember anything from her past life.

(Gotham City General Hospital seven months later)

Doris screamed in pain as the labor intensified. She grabbed Thomas' hand and squeezed for all she was worth as another rush of pain came through her.

"You did this to me!!!" She cried out as the pain deepened.

Thomas looked lost and unsure of what was happening exactly. He knew that this was coming, but he had never been around when someone gave birth before. He looked at the doctor.

"Is she alright?" He asked

"This is normal." The doctor replied.

"This is normal? This is normal my foot!" Doris shouted as she felt the pain again and pushed harder.

(Outside of the hospital room)

Bruce listened the exchange inside of the room and remembered how he reacted when Diana gave birth to both of their children. Naturally the first time she broke his hand when she grabbed it. He could remember her saying the same exact thing to him. Dick had been good enough to do patrol tonight for him. Naturally Athena had come to be with them all and he already watched Diana march into the room to watch the birth of her grandchildren.

(Inside of the hospital room)

Diana walked in just as the first baby was coming out. She looked as the small infant finished being pushed out. She watched as the nurses took her little grandson and then turned her attention as the other twin began to come out. Doris screamed again in pain as the baby crowned and much quicker than her brother the infant girl was born. Diana watched as Doris cried and held on to Thomas. She pulled him toward her and hugged him like there was no tomorrow.

(Inside of the Hospital room two hours later)

"So have you decided on the names?" Athena asked as she looked at Thomas and Doris.

Doris smiled as she held the girl and let her feed.

"We decided on Cassandra for the girl. The name came to us when I asked Thomas about Greek heritage. The only story he could remember was the story of Cassandra of Troy. I thought that the name was beautiful and we decided on that for her. We decided to name him Bruce after dad." Doris said as she looked at them and began to yawn.

"I think that mom's getting tired." Thomas said to little Bruce as he held the baby. After a few moments Doris handed Cassandra over to him and watched as he passed Bruce over to Diana. The proud grandmother held the baby like the greatest treasure that had ever existed.

Doris finally leaned back and found herself asleep.

(Wayne Manor – Thomas and Doris' bedroom and nursery. Two months later.)

Doris and Thomas each held one of the little bundles of joy. Thomas reminded her that Hippolyta would be coming to see her great grandchildren today. Doris smiled and tried to figure out exactly how she should act around the Queen of the Amazons, but Thomas shook his head and told her to act normally. Be polite, but act normally.

They walked out of the nursery and heard the sound of the front door opening. He looked to see Hippolyta walk in with Diana and Athena. The Queen of the Amazons walked straight over to her great grandchildren. She looked at both of the children and smiled.

"May I please hold my great grandchildren?" She asked.

Thomas gently handed over little Bruce and watched as Hippolyta spoke softly to the infant and cradled him as he slept. His sleep was soon interrupted as a crash came from the kitchen. He scrunched up his face and began to wail. The effect of this was his sister joining in. Hippolyta tried to sooth him, but he wanted none of it. After a few minutes she passed him back to his father who began to rock him softly. After several minutes both babies finally quieted down.

"Someone call the hospital Alfred's having a heart attack!" Tim Drake shouted as he raced out of the kitchen and grabbed a phone.

(Gotham City General Hospital)

Thomas, Doris, Bruce II, Cassandra, Diana, Hippolyta, Tim Drake, Dick and Koriand'r Grayson, Mar'I Grayson, and Bruce Wayne all sat in a waiting room. After several minutes the doctor came out and looked at the large group sitting there.

"Mr. Pennyworth is in stable condition, but is currently resting. We are recommending that he stay the night for observation and depending on how well he is doing we will either release him tomorrow or keep him for longer. It is my professional suggestion that Mr. Pennyworth either prepare to retire from his position as a butler or greatly reduce the hours he works." The doctor said as he got up and left the family.

"I'll talk it over with Alfred tomorrow." Bruce said as he stood up and stretched.

"Where are you going?" Thomas asked.

"I have to go on patrol." He answered. Soon Dick, Tim, and Athena nodded in agreement.

"I should report in with the league I guess." Thomas said as he looked at Doris.

"Be sure to come home to me puddin'." Doris said as she kissed him. He handed little Bruce over to his mother and called for a teleportation to the Watchtower.

(Metropolis – Drumme's Magic Shop)

Loki walked into the shop and looked at the owner. The man backed up as he looked at the Norse god of deception.

"I want you to contact the Shadow Man for me." Loki said looking at him.

"That is not a good thin' to do." Dr. Drumme said as he looked at Loki.

"I will decide what is good and what is not." Loki said as he walked pass Drumme and into the back.

Drumme began the chant and Loki watched as the shadows began to gather in the corner and finally the Shadow Man stepped out.

"For what reason do I owe the pleasure of seeing the god of deception?" The Shadow Man asked.

"I have a request. I will pay you with souls once my request is completed." Loki said.

"Then please tell me the request." The Shadow Man replied.

"I want you to cause great pain to Bruce and Diana Wayne. The worst way of doing that will be to kill their children and grandchildren. I want it started tonight." Loki said.

"I will require a great many souls for this. Do you have enough?" The Shadow Man asked.

"I will supply every soul in Metropolis if I have to." Loki replied.

"Then we have an agreement. We will exchange the souls of everyone in this city for the deaths of four immortals and one mortal." The Shadow Man said as he stretched out his hand.

The two god like beings shook hands and then the shadow man disappeared.


	9. The Sound of Silence

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 9 "The Sound of Silence"**

(Gotham City Nighthaven Club)

Talia looked at the remodeling she had finished to the club. The normal patrons seemed pleased, but at the same time she had wanted to get Bruce in here. She leaned against a wall and could almost swear that he had once been in here with his daughter. She shrugged the thought off when the room grew cold. She looked toward the entrance of the room and watched one of her patrons fall to the floor. Soon everyone else in the club stopped moving and seemed to either slump over or fall down. That's when he entered the club. She watched as the being that she witnessed her father deal with once walk up to the bar and touched a man making him fall off of the stool he was on.

"Talia how good it is to see you." The Shadow Man said as he smiled at her.

"Hello Lu…" She began to say before he held his finger up to his lips causing her to loose her voice.

"No need on saying my true name dear. I have come to collect on a debt that your father owed me. As you know I allowed him the understanding of how to create the perfect virus. If it hadn't been for your beloved Bruce Wayne the world would be greatly decreased in population. Still it matters not that it did not succeed. He promised me use of the Legion of Shadows for any purpose. I want to use the Legion of Shadows now." The Shadow Man said.

"Please, my father has been gone for several years. Any debt should be settled with him." She said once he allowed her speak.

"Yes it is his debt, but you are his child and so the responsibility falls on you. You will gather the Legion and go after the following targets." The Shadow Man said as he handed pictures of Thomas Wayne, Athena Wayne, Bruce II, and Cassandra.

"Your son Damian shall aid in this." He said as he watched her close her eyes and said a curse.

"When do I begin the assignments?" She asked looking at him.

"You begin tonight with Athena Wayne. Do not kill her yet. I want her to see the death of her brother, niece, and nephew." He said as he disappeared.

The moment he was gone everyone began moving again within the club. Talia walked back to the office and took several deep breaths. There was no way that her beloved would ever come back to her now. He would know that she ordered the deaths of his children and grandchildren. When that happened he would seek vengeance. The thought brought the need to get sick and she almost allowed herself to.

(Las Vegas Nevada Cesar's Palace)

Constantine looked at the glass of wine before him. He knew better than to spend time with Lilth. She was a known succubus and arms dealer, but at the same time they both had until the end of days before their final removal from this life. He was about to say something when Lilth looked at her pager and grumbled.

"Sweetness I have to go. I've been called to do duty with the Legion again. I guess that Ra's has finally returned." She said as she got up.

"Always something isn't it Lil?" He asked.

He watched her leave and then got up from table. As he walked out of the casino he saw Lilth walking toward one of the known demonic vortexes. He knew that they connected all over the world, but suddenly he felt curious as to why would be using one. Normally she would take a plane or drive, but to use a vortex meant that she was really in a hurry. He closed in on her and heard her say the words Gotham City, Crime Alley.

_This would have something to do about Batman of that I am pretty sure. _Constantine thought as he reached into his coat and brought out a smoke.

(Gotham City Crime Alley)

Lilth stepped out of the vortex and looked around herself. The Batwoman would be here pretty soon. She walked through the shadows and smelled a warm young man not far from her. She could feel the natural urges of being a succubus, but she managed to hold back knowing that her mission for the Legion of Shadows came before anything else.

She looked up to the sky and saw a dark figure for only a second. That was her cue. She stretched forth her hands and felt the hot air draw the ones that where damned near to her. She knew that it was a risk to allow herself to become temporarily weakened by the presence of so many men, but it needed to look real. The first to arrive was a stocky young man and member of a local street gang. Soon his brothers in arms walked toward the succubus all with the same idea of making this delicious little number bend to their wills. She smirked as the first one reached out and grabbed her blouse ripping it open.

"NO STOP!!! PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. The figure returned to see the group of men forcing the woman down and shredding her clothes off of her. She heard the sounds of bat-a-rings striking flesh.

She looked up at her 'savior'. The girl couldn't be over twenty-five, and yet she had already seen the worst that men could offer. The reached down to help her up before pulling her hand back.

"What are you?" Athena asked.

_It figures this one has the sight. _Lilth thought as she quickly grabbed Athena's hand

Athena tried to pull away, but found her-self getting weak. As the woman held her hand she began to see Kal Kent before her. His bare muscular shoulders as he ravaged her. She could feel the control slipping away from her and it took every ounce of will power to keep from completely falling under the illusion.

"Let me go." Athena said as she struck Lilth knocking the succubus loose from her and into a wall.

"This is odd. I've never had anyone actually fight me before. Well that's what these are fore." She said as she reached the bag one of the gang members had knocked away from her. She pulled out a glass container holding a Black Mercy. Without a second thought Lilth threw the plant on Athena and watched the girl slip away into a dream world.

_This one is finished. Now I need to contact either Talia or Ra's and see whose next._ She thought as she gathered up Athena and walked toward the back entrance of the Nighthaven Club.

(Las Vegas Nevada Constantine's hotel room.)

John looked around the room before finally grabbing the telephone and dialing the number he had gotten to contact the Justice League. He listened as the receiver was finally picked up and exhaled.

"This is Constantine, John Constantine. I need to be patched through to Batman. It is important and concerns his safety as well as the other heroes that live in Gotham." Constantine said as he finished his smoke and leaned back in the stiff recliner this hotel/casino provided so willingly.

"This had better be good." The harsh voice of Batman said over the channel.

"It is. Lilth a class one succubus, arms dealer, and forced member of the Legion of Shadows is in Gotham. I believe that you or someone close to you is the mark. They don't call her in for the normal hits. If I was you I would start checking it out pretty soon." Constantine said.

"Thanks for the tip. Don't use this number from anywhere public again." Batman said before the line went dead.

(Gotham – Batcave)

Bruce pulled up the information on Lilth that he could find. He looked at the various pictures and realized that she looked like a blond headed version of Talia. He began to read the various reports about her deals with crime families, back water occult cults, and even with the short lived demon force that was put down by Constantine in London some time ago.

"Athena I need you to regroup with Tim and come back to the cave." He said into the private communicator line.

"Sorry the number you have reached is not in order, please try again later." A sultry voice said as the communicator went dead.

Bruce jumped up from the console and ran straight to one of the motorcycles. He touched his communicator again as he shot off.

"Thomas, Dark Shadow meet me at the old theater next to Crime Alley." He said as sped off.

"Bruce what is going on?" Diana's voice said over the communicator.

"Something's happened to Athena!" He responded as he gunned the motorcycle faster.

(Abandoned theater next to Crime alley.)

Thomas looked at his Uncle John or Dark Shadow as he called himself when in costume. He heard the sound of a motorcycle and then the sound of his mother landing not far behind him.

"What's happened Bruce?" Dark Shadow asked.

"Athena has been kidnapped. I tried to tell her to meet back with Tim, but someone else came over the communicator. I think that it is this woman." He said as he handed them each a picture of Lilth.

"Her name is Lilth and Constantine contacted me about her. He said that she was in Gotham on Legion of Shadow business. This means that we have to find her and quick." Bruce said as he walked back to the motorcycle.

"Where should we start?" Thomas shouted.

"Look through the Alley for any clue. I'm heading to Nighthaven to speak with Talia." Bruce replied


	10. Running with the Devil

**The Black Sheep**

Chapter 10 "Running with the Devil"

(Metropolis – Kal Kent's Apartment three days later)

Kal looked around at the apartment he had finished moving into. His mother had tried to convince him that he could stay with them while he was going to college, but he needed the space. It was bad enough that his dad was Superman. Add to the fact that he gained all of his dad's powers, and his mother's seemingly smart-ass personality made it extremely hard not to abuse those powers. He sat down at the edge of his bed and opened his wallet. He smiled as he looked at the photo Lanis had taken of him and Athena together the last time the family visited Gotham City. She was beautiful, but way out of his league. He started to put the picture down when his cell phone rang. He picked it up and answered it.

"Hello Kent residence." Kal said as he got up and stretched.

"Kal this is Lanis something has happened in Gotham and Dad wanted to know if you could come and help him sweep the city." Lanis said over the phone.

"I'll be right over." He said as he ran out of his small apartment and headed toward his mom and dad's place.

(Lois and Clark's house.)

Clark looked at Kal as his son stepped out of the small car he owned. He ran up to his dad and looked at him with a questioning expression.

"Son we need to leave soon, but I thought that it would be best to tell you what is going on." Clark said as he brought Kal into the house.

"Dad I know that Lanis said something about something happened in Gotham, but what is it?" He asked.

"Athena Wayne was kidnapped about three days ago. Bruce has been searching for her, but he finally called for help. It has been driving them crazy and no one seems to be getting anywhere." Clark said as he looked at Kal.

Kal heard that Athena was kidnapped, and he heard that her father had been searching for her, but everything else was lost. Athena was one of his closest friends, and if he believed that she would give him half a chance he would go out with her in a second. Now she was gone and he was going to find her and make whoever did this pay. He didn't think of being seen or even changing clothes to hide his identity he just took off out of the house and into the sky.

(Gotham - Nighthaven Club)

Talia grumbled as she walked down into the basement and opened up a secret elevator that lead straight into the Lazarus pit still further down. She had finally thrown off her beloved's trail by telling him that Ra's had finally returned and gave the order to attack and capture his daughter. It pained her to keep the information from her beloved, but if he knew then there was chance that the Shadow man would take revenge on him. She walked out of the elevator and made her way over to Athena who was lying on a stone table completely nude except for the Black Mercy that was attached to her.

She looked down at the girl and touched her forehead. There had to be a way out of killing her beloved's children and grandchildren. A thought came to her that she could kill Athena and then revive her through the pit. After a few minutes she decided that this would be the best option and if Athena fared well enough then she would do the same to the others. She turned and looked at Lilth who had been leaching off of Athena's sexual energies for the past three days.

"She has so much pent-up energy. The frustration and need that needed to be released was so amazing. I've never felt such energy before. I should contact the one that made the contract and purchase her off of him. I could keep her in this illusion forever so she stays happy." Lilth said as she caressed Athena's breasts and then kissed the half Amazon.

"It is not your place to fondle her Lilth." Talia said with obvious distaste for the succubus.

"Lady Talia your father saw fit to learn my name. How he learned it I don't know since I haven't even told John and he is the only human I trust. Since your father learned my name he used that power to force me into service with the Legion. Personally I dislike the idea of killing so many potential lovers, but I will do what the Legion commands. However I will fondle, kiss, and make love to any prisoner that I take unless they tell me they don't want me." Lilth said as she continued to caress Athena and then leaned toward her and kissed her deeply.

(Inside of the illusion created by the Black Mercy)

Athena looked at Kal as he came out of the bathroom. She had talked hard and managed to convince her family that she could live in an apartment lose to the college and still go on patrol. Her reward was Kal's transfer to Gotham University and their dating. Of course they became more and more serious and everything led up to his moving in with her. Once that happened she was again rewarded with love making every morning and night. She smiled at him as he came close to her and softly squeezed her breasts. She moaned as he leaned into her and kissed her. She felt his hands softly rubbing and teasing her at the same time. The action led the way to another round of love making that she was more than happy to provide. She could feel how powerful he was each time they made love. Still something seemed unnatural about this. She couldn't remember exactly when Kal started to Gotham University, and for the life of her she couldn't remember what account she was using to pay the rent. Still all of that didn't matter. She was with Kal and was his. She had given herself freely to him and would forever be his.

(Lazarus Pit below Nighthaven Club)

Talia watched Lilth with sever distaste. Finally she smiled as something came to her.

"We should move the girl. Tomorrow I will have her transferred to the pit in Anartica." Talia said as she smiled at Lilth.

"You are just determined to separate me from this wondrous little battery aren't you? Fine you can transfer her, but it won't matter. I have access to all of the vortexes. After I get the others I will go to her. So do what you want, but it won't stop me from enjoying her." Lilth replied.

(Wayne Manor – Nursery)

Doris watched both of her children as they slept. She had never felt as happy in all of her life as she did being Thomas' wife and mother to his children. She turned around to see a shadow in the window. At first she assumed that it was Dick or Tim, but the shadow began to come closer and she could see the face of something truly evil. She grabbed the closest thing to her and prepared to defend her babies with her life.

The demon watched Doris from outside. Her willingness to lay down her own life for her children provided enough protection from his touch, so he would have to do this the human way. He began to draw in the night and took a solid form. His fist burst through the glass and opened the window.

"I have come for the lives of your children." The demon said as it began to move toward her. She hurled the object in her hand toward it and watched as the demon howled in pain.

She looked at the floor and saw a very old copy of the bible. The demon stepped back from her and she grabbed the necklace that Thomas had bought for her. She took it off and held the crucifix before the demon.

"You are not welcomed here. Leave now and do not return." She said to it.

"I am not the only one that will come tonight child. There will be others, and they will not be affected by your little Christian tricks." The demon said as it moved back out of the window and slowly disappeared.

Doris watched as the demon completely disappeared and then moved back toward the children. She slowed down her breathing and grabbed a communicator that Thomas had left for her.

"Thomas where are you?" She asked into the communicator.

"I'm searching for Athena what's wrong?" He asked over the communicator.

"Something tried to attack the children. I managed to get it out, but I need to get them somewhere safe." Doris said.

"Stay with the kids and I'm going to have you all transported up the Watchtower. That would be the safest right now. Sweetheart I need to look at the communicator and press the open channel switch. When you do it will open it up to all the channels with the league and they will fix on your exact location. At that moment they will transport you." Thomas said as he closed the channel

Doris looked again at the window and hoped that Thomas would be safe.

(Near the Damned' club house)

Thomas looked at the biker club to his right and thought of the men inside. The Damned wasn't the biggest motorcycle club in the world, but it was one of the meanest. It was a fare chance that someone inside would know something about Athena's disappearance and perhaps they would let him in on it. Before any of that though he tapped the all channel switch on his communicator and began to talk to Jo'nn

"Jo'nn I need you to lock on to my extra communicator and transport three people directly to the Watchtower." Thomas said as he got off of his Harley and started to walk inside.

"Thomas that may be a misuse of League powers transporting none league members to the Watchtower." Jo'nn said.

"How do you know that they are none League members?" Thomas asked.

"You are too much like both your mother and father. You gave your wife a communicator and want her up here for some reason that I assume must be safety. I will transport them, but when Batman asks I know nothing about it." Jo'nn said as he locked on to the other communicator signal and transported Doris and both children to the Watchtower.

"Thanks Jo'nn." Thomas said as he opened the door and walked into the club.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Thomas as he stood there. He had remembered to wear the mask and solid black jacket and pants that were part of his alter ego.

"Good evening gentlemen. It has come to my attention that a member of the community has been forcefully taken to an undisclosed location. Anyone with any information about this should go ahead and speak up. Oh also this person is known as Batwoman so the faster you speak up the better health you will be in." Thomas said as he stood there.

Everyone seemed to turn toward a large biker in the back. The biker looked at them and groaned.

"I buy everyone a drink and this is how you repay me? Thanks a lot you bunch of assholes." The biker said as he grabbed a bottle and broke it on the counter.

"Come one Dark Rider." He said to Thomas.

Thomas looked at him and picked up a billiard ball from one of the tables and tossed it at the biker. The ball struck him knocking him off of the stool and straight to the floor. He walked over to Biker and grabbed his hand that was still holding the broken bottle. He squeezed the hand hearing the bottle break further in the biker's hand.

"What do you know about the kidnapping?" Thomas asked.

"Jesus let go!" He shouted at Thomas who squeezed harder forcing part of the glass to come through the meat between the thumb and finger.

"Tell me what I want to know and I will leave." Thomas said.

"Alright, alright I was down the street from there. This chick was walking along like it was Christmas or something. She was checking out everybody down through there and it seemed like she was mentally picturing what they looked like nude or something. So as she walking she sort of tapped her watch and several of younger guys start going nuts. Before long they are throwing her to the ground and ripping her clothes off. The silly little bitch starts screaming for help and that's when Batwoman appeared. I watched as she knocked all of those stupid pricks on their asses, but the woman she grabbed her. I watched as the Bat chick started looking off into space only to come back to her senses. That's when this other chick dragged this weird looking plant out of a bag. She tossed it on her and then several guys I didn't even know was there grabbed the bat chick and stripped her off. I mean she was completely nude except for the plant thing and carried her back toward the direction of that high priced nightclub Nighthaven." The Biker said as he fell back.

"If I find out that you've lied to me I will visit you again, and next time it won't be as pleasant as this visit." Thomas said as he walked out of the clubhouse.

"Batman I have a lead on Athena's location." Thomas said as he started the Harley and turned toward Nighthaven.

"What is it?" The bat answered instead of his father.

"She was attacked by that woman you told us about. It was a set up. She tried to put Athena into some kind of trance, but she fought out of it. From what my source said that woman Lilth threw some kind of plant on Athena and made her go comatose. That sounds kind of like that Black Mercy thing Clark told us about." Thomas said as he drove toward the night club.

"I'll meet you there don't act before there is back up." Batman said as he closed the channel.

Thomas looked ahead to see the club and gunned the Harley faster. He was almost to it when something hit the front tire and caused the motorcycle to flip. As the motorcycle went one way Thomas went toward the nightclub and into the side of car that was parked in front. He stood slowly and shook his head trying to shake off the slight case of double vision from the wreck. He looked toward the road and saw a man that stood nearly as tall as he was. The single man cracked his neck much like how Thomas and his father did and then threw something toward him.

Thomas ducked out of the way as the dart hit car and bounced off. He looked back at the man only to see an empty place. He turned around quickly and received a boot in the face for his trouble. The man smiled as he jumped down next to Thomas and held a dart ready to thrust it into him. He didn't think of the fact that Thomas wasn't out cold and received a boot in the groin. The man dropped to his knees and then breathed out a long groan as he clenched his fists and jumped back up. This time Thomas met him with a punch to the stomach and received a kick in his own groin.

Both men sized each other up and then proceeded to fight hand to hand. After several minutes of fighting neither man could get the better of the other. When Thomas would punch or kick the other man would block and attempt to throw or get a shot in. When hits did connect they were fast, hard, and meant to take the other man down then and there. After what seemed forever Thomas felt something tingle on the back of his neck. The other man got a look of anger and distaste as Thomas stumbled back.

"I did not call for you to interfere with this Lilth." Damian said as he watched his brother slowly begin to lose himself in the illusion that Lilth was creating for him.

"Perhaps young prince, but the need was necessary. My but he is a strong, fit, and trim young thing isn't he? I shall enjoy using him." Lilth said as she closed in on him. She watched as Thomas began to break through the spell much like his sister had done to her earlier.

"What is it with my powers not working on them?" She asked as she begins to dig out a Black Mercy from her bag. She nearly had it ready to place on Thomas when a bat-a-ring hit her hand and sent the Black Mercy flying on her.

"NO!" She screamed as the plant latched on to her and began to give her the illusion of her heart's desire.

Thomas shook his head and looked at Damian who stood there looking at their father. Damian pulled the mask down to show a face that was a mix of both Talia's and Bruce's faces. The oldest Wayne smiled at his father and bowed slightly.

"Father it is a pleasure to finally meet you." Damian said as he watched Bruce get closer.

"Who are you?" Bruce asked.

"I am Damian Wayne your son. My mother is inside and I would suspect that there are questions that you have to ask." Damian said as he turned and walked into the nightclub.

(Gotham international)

Several Legion members pushed the enclosed casket like case toward a private jet. After several minutes it was loaded and the case opened revealing Athena lying on the top of the stone table covered with a sheet and still having the Black Mercy attached to her. The jet took off and passed Kal Kent who had been searching the city for Athena. He turned his attention to the jet and took off after it like a bat out of hell.

"We have a meta on our tail." The legion member who was monitoring the outside of the jet via the cameras and monitors said.

The jet then began to pick up speed, but as fast as the jet went Kal seemed to keep up with it. He rushed forward and tried to find a way of bringing them down without harming Athena. Since his mind was so focused on saving her and not on the jet itself he never saw gun attached to the jet fire.

Gun fire was something that was both annoying and you never got use to. Kal had learned that like his father he was fairly invincible toward normal gunfire, but the sound and hot lead did tend to make the experience less than agreeable. He felt the hot lead strike his cheek and then it hit his shoulders and chest. His body was bullet proof but the shirt and pants he wore wasn't. He felt the shirt rip away from him and dove under the jet.

"It's Superman's kid!" one of them shouted.

The next shot that came out of a different gun grazed and wounded Kal. He looked to see the blood trickle down his arm.

"You won't take her!" Kal shouted as he rushed toward the jet again only to find another shot fired and this time it hit his shoulder.

He winced in pain, but he kept trying to get close to the jet. He heard another shot and closed his eyes. When the bullet never connected he looked in front of himself to see his sister Lanis floating there deflecting the bullets with the bracelets that 'Auntie' Diana had given her.

"What are you waiting for Kal let's get close enough to them to save her." Lanis said as they flew closer.

Kal gritted his teeth and flew toward the jet and watched as Lanis managed to keep the strange bullets from striking him. He grabbed the side of the jet and pulled trying to slow it down. The engines began to struggle harder against him and he could hear the steel trying to tear apart. He looked at the engines and focused his vision. Slowly he created his heat vision and began to cause the engines to fail. He felt them start to give out and then he heard the men inside.

"Kill the girl she is not allowed to be taken back by them." One of the legion members inside said.

"Lanis get inside and save Athena!" Kal shouted.

"Kal they'll hit you with that gun again!" Lanis replied.

"Do it! I'll hold on to this as long as I can, but save her now!" He shouted back to her.

Lanis closed her eyes and shook her head. She dropped away from the guns and came up through the floor of the jet. When she did she saw several legion members closing in on her and Athena. She grabbed her best friend and dove back out of the jet. When she did she turned back to watch Kal get another blast from the kryptonite gun through his stomach. He let go of the jet and fell straight down.

"KAL NO!" Lanis screamed as her brother fell toward the ocean below.

"She's safe that's all that matters." Kal thought as his body hit the ocean and he began to sink. He could see his sister still holding on to Athena and he wondered what it would have been like to be with her.

The cold ocean began to swallow him up as he sunk. He had never felt so weak before. He tried to swim, but his arms felt like dead weight. It was almost completely dark when he felt familiar strong arms around him. Within seconds he was above the ocean in the arms of his father as they headed toward Lanis.

"Watchtower transports four directly to medical bay now!" Superman said as he held Kal.

(Watchtower medical Bay)

Jo'nn walked into the medical bay and looked at Athena and Kal. Athena's situation could wait for a few moments, but Kal had lost a lot of blood and needed attention now. He proceeded to remove the bullet and encased it in a lead container. He then began the long job of saving Kal's life.

(Gotham – Nighthaven Club)

Bruce looked at Talia with contempt. She had lied about Ra's and lied about not knowing where his daughter was. It was everything he could do to keep from attacking her. He heard a sound behind him and looked to see Diana walking in. The Amazon Princess didn't have his self control and slapped Talia causing the daughter of Ra's al Ghul to fall to the floor.

"Get up." Diana said as she pulled Talia to her feet harshly.

"My daughter has a Black Mercy connected to her and is currently on the Watchtower because of you. You are going to tell me who did this and what they want now!" Diana demanded

Talia didn't break at Diana's words. She didn't seem scared or upset. Instead she reached behind her and pulled out a taser and shocked Diana. She watched as the wife of her beloved experience several thousand volts going through her and then let go. She looked at Diana who began to get her bearing again and this time Talia held the taser up showing her that she could hold her own if needed.

"I have no wish to start any trouble, but I was forced into this. The man that contacted me had made a deal with my father some time ago. He gave my father the formula for a special virus that would attach itself to anyone without any trace of the Lazarus chemicals in them or that wasn't immortal to begin with and kill all of them. Of course father realized the problem of this and decided to rig several of his Lazarus pits to explode thus saturating the human race and allowing only those suitable enough to survive make it through the plague. Naturally my beloved you stopped this from happening. It didn't matter though. My father made a deal with the devil. The real devil and now I have to pay his debt. Someone wants your children and grandchildren dead. I was going to kill Athena and then bring her back through the Lazarus pits, but Lilth was making it hard to do so. She was feeding from Athena's sexual energy and it was all I could do to keep her from buying Athena off of our benefactor." Talia said as she sat down behind the bar.

"Where is this 'Devil'?" Diana asked.

"I do not know. I only know that out of every Meta, hero, and alien that the Legion of Shadows has come across he is the only one we cannot trap or kill. I don't know when he will return, but the moment he does I will not be able to stop him. The only way to stop him is to use his true name which is Lu…" Talia stopped suddenly as her mouth closed and seemed to be held closed by invisible hands.

"She always did have a big mouth didn't you Talia my dear?" The Shadow man asked as he appeared behind her. He released Talia's mouth and then grabbed her forcing her around to him.

"I warned you before my dear what would happen. Welcome to a lifetime of becoming my whore." He spat at her before he struck her and knocked her to the floor.

"Immortals and those that find extremely long life tend to believe that they can beat me. Such arrogance isn't forgivable." He said as he hoped over the bar and looked at both Bruce and Diana.

"I am a sport and since I can't attack your children and grandchild until they are on the Earth again I am willing to make a bet. I will give you both twenty-four hours to find out my true name. If you do I will drop the attempt on your children's and grandchildren's lives. Not only that but I will ensure that you will get one free request from me. If you lose then I get your husband's soul." He said to Diana.

"Deal." Bruce said before Diana could answer.

"Very well oh, you have one guess between the both of you and in exactly twenty-four hours I will return to hear it. You know I haven't done this in so long that I almost forgot." He said as he pulled out a scroll from a deep pouch he was carrying.

"I need you to sign this. It states that you are agreeing to my terms and thus will go along with coming to hell should you fail." The said as he held it toward Bruce.

Bruce went to sign it and felt it prick his finger through his glove. A single drop of blood fell on the scroll and the Shadow Man rolled it up.

"That will be just fine. Remember you have twenty-four hours from now to find my true name." He said as he disappeared.

"Bruce how could you?!" Diana shouted.

"I can't let him continue to threaten our children. This is at least a chance to stop him." Bruce said as he turned toward Talia who was finally getting up. She began to say something when two shadow beings formed and grabbed her wrists. They pulled her back toward a post and tied her to it. The moment she was tied down the first shadow ripped her shirt open and smiled at her.

"Your lifetime of service begins now." The demon said as it licked her neck.

"Go find his name and stop him!" Talia shouted to her beloved as the demons disappeared with her.

(Outside of the Club)

Thomas and Damian looked at Lilth. Each of them grabbed a side of her and pulled her back into the club. Thomas looked at his father who studied the plant.

"I don't like that she might be the best link to finding out that thing's real name." Bruce said as he looked at the smile plastered on her face.

"Is there anyone else that might know?" Diana asked.

"Constantine may know. He is the one that called and warned me about her to begin with. Last time he called he was in Las Vegas. We should start with him and then move on from there." Bruce said as he looked at Lilth start to fight the effects of the Black Mercy.


	11. Hallelujah

(It seems important that I express that this chapter is more about Kal and Athena than it is about Thomas, Bruce, or Diana. I originally was going to have Athena fall for someone much like her father, but since she reflects both Bruce and Diana much like Thomas does it stands to reason she would reach for the light instead of the darkness. While Kal isn't the greatest example of light there is he is more like his father and 'Aunt' Diana than he is like the darkness of humanity itself.)

The Black Sheep

**Chapter 11 "Hallelujah"**

(Watchtower Medical Bay)

"Prep the paddles." Jo'nn said as Kal flat-lined again.

Clark watched as his youngest son died on the table again only to be shocked back to life by Jo'nn. Kal was a fighter, but for some reason he wasn't pulling through this as well as he expected him to. He watched as Jo'nn finally walked out of the room after getting Kal stable again. Jo'nn walked directly over a computer terminal and pulled up the 3-D image the techs who examined the bullet had recreated.

"This is not something we have ever experienced before." He said as he hit a few keys and the bullet seemed to fly apart showing the inner workings.

"When Luthor made the original Kryptonite bullet he merely created the head of the bullet to be Kryptonite, but this bullet had a gel substance inside that contained liquidized form of it. In short Kal is suffering from a massive amount of Kryptonite poisoning. We may have to prep him for dialysis and see if it can remove most of it." Jo'nn said in a monotone voice which in itself showed how bad the situation truly was.

(Inside of Athena's Illusion)

For the last six months Athena had been living with Kal and loving every moment of it. He was the picture of a wonderful boyfriend, and last night he had finally proposed. She felt so happy and excited that she almost didn't hear the small voice inside of her that had come from all of her training with her father.

"How did he afford the ring?" the Batwoman asked from within her self.

"No I can't be paranoid with Kal. He's everything that I always wanted." She told herself.

"Yes everything you always wanted, and it is so convenient that he moves to Gotham, dates you, proposes, and always seems to do what you want to do." The Batwoman responded.

"This is real. This is what I want to be real. I always wanted him to with me." She said with less conviction than before.

"It's not real and you know it. Stop what you are doing and listen. Really listen to the world around you." The Batwoman said from inside of her.

_He's crashing again! We need 100 Micrograms of Epinephrine stat! _The voice of a doctor in the League's medical ward said.

_Kal don't die! Please don't die! _Lanis' voice came through.

"Don't you see? You're stuck in an illusion. If you really care for him then you have to let this version of him go." The Batwoman said.

Athena cursed herself for being right. But the truth was she could see it was all fake in fact every part of it hadn't been real at all. She closed her eyes and felt Kal's arms around her.

"Kal do you love me?" She asked

"Of course I love you." He answered.

"Then forgive me for this." She said as she turned to him.

She shoved him away from her and ran toward the window. She felt the glass break as she jumped out of it and turned to face Kal. He ran toward her but he didn't fly after her.

"You're not real Kal… At least this part of you isn't real yet." She said as she hit the ground and suddenly sat up in Medical Bay holding the Black Mercy away from her.

One of the nurses ran over with a glass container and imprisoned the Black Mercy inside of it. Not caring that she was still nude or that she still had bits and pieces of the false memory still burned into her vision she ran toward Kal. She dropped to his side and looked at the man she wanted to love her and that she loved. She looked at the paleness of his skin and features.

"Kal you have to survive. You have to live long enough to reach me. I want nothing more than to be with you and I will never forgive you if you leave me now." She said to him quietly.

Almost as if answering her he took a deep breath and his heart rate began to even out. Clark watched in amazement as his son seemed to fight harder by having Athena there beside him. Of course he turned away quickly because of her absence of clothing. One of the doctors brought over a lab coat and handed it to her.

Athena took the coat and slid it over her shoulders. She watched Kal almost as if she expected him to disappear any moment.

(Gotham City – Nighthaven Club)

Thomas watched as Lilth finally began to move and then she threw the Black Mercy far away from her. Her face was filled with rage as she looked at Batman.

"You son of a bitch! Do you know what you did to me?!" She screamed as she lunched toward Batman only to be caught by Diana.

"You have no right to complain you…." Diana managed to hold back the curse she wanted to unleash on Lilth.

"Do you know the Shadow Man's true name?" Thomas asked.

"Yes, but I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. He is the high ruler of hell and the one code we all follow is never give our names or the names of other demons willingly." She said with hate sounding in her voice.

"Istar I command you to tell them who could give the name." Damian said as he smiled at her.

Lilth looked at him and growled slightly. She closed her eyes and from her lips escaped a curse not heard since the ancient days of Macedonia.

"While I can't give the information John Constantine can. He owes no allegiance to either side and will do it just to cause grief to the 'Shadow Man'." She said as stood there in defeat.

"Thank you Lilth for helping us." Damian said as he used the name she was more use to and preferred.

"I didn't do it because I wanted to. You have power over me by knowing my name. The third law of all spiritual beings states that we are little more than slaves if our true names are discovered." She said to him as she bowed acknowledging him as her master.

(Outside of Vegas – Hoover Dam)

John watched the night sky. America wasn't his favorite place to be, but at the moment he couldn't go back to merry old England. Since his abandonment of both sides he has been chased by everyone including a very hard core sect of the Roman Catholic Church that has several secret churches sat up through all of Europe including England. So he journeyed back to America to keep from killing innocent, yet misguided lives that would kill him.

"Thinking some deep thoughts John?" Death asked as she smiled at the ageless man who stood between both worlds.

"I am always thinking deep thoughts Death my dear, but that isn't why you are here is it?" he asked.

"The Shadow Man has made a bet with the Batman of Gotham. The news has spread through the entire spiritual network and everyone seems to be rooting for Batman more than 'him'. I guess that it doesn't pay to be an asshole even it if you are a beautiful asshole." She said as she thought of the few times she had actually seen the Shadow Man in his truest form.

"While you are rooting for the Batman you've come to ask that I not help him right?" He asked her while he studied the night sky.

"John no one really wants to see Lu… the Shadow Man win, but we have to try and keep the balance of order. I don't like him and I know that Destiny hates him. Granted his normal stoic answers usually lead to 'He's a necessary evil.' But I know for a fact that he would love to see him fall. Still if he does fall to the Batman then it could put the universe as we know it out of order." She said as she walked up to the railing and looked over.

"So what happened to us? At what point did I stop becoming interesting to you?" John asked as he finally looked at her.

"I've never lost interest in you John. I saw you born, watched you die both times, and watched you brought back and given eternal life. I just can't commit. You know that's what 'He' says about me." She said as she pointed up toward the heavens.

"Yeah one of his great cosmic gag reels." John answered as he fished out a cigarette and lit it up.

"I would tell you that those things kill, but being that you won't die it seems rather pointless." Death said as she started to get up to leave.

"I wish that you could stay a while longer." John said as he heard her start to walk toward the other side of the dam.

"John I would love to spend the night with you. I would love to find myself between regretting, and in complete bliss the next day, but I won't set us up for that again. Besides that fact we've been given slightly more human bodies and I'm not on the pill." She said as she walked over to a man that prepared to jump over the side. She touched his back as he jumped and watched him. She turned to her right side and looked at his soul.

"Come on we need to find your path." She said to the man's soul as she led him toward the end of the road.

"Before you leave I need to know. Will I regret helping him?" John asked.

"Personally no, you won't regret it, but whoever is chosen to take over his duties will regret it for now on. You know the rule John. If one of the ancients falls then another soul must take his or her place." Death said as she left with the man's soul.

(Watchtower – Medical bay)

Athena watched Kal as he moaned in his sleep. Somehow he had finally gotten stable and was resting, but it wasn't peacefully. She touched his forehead and he seemed to quiet down for a moment. As she leaned back she couldn't help but notice the muscular fame he had. He was built like one of the gods and it excited her and drew a sort of reverence from her toward him. She softly touched his chest and felt something move down by her leg. She looked up at him to see his eyes barely open and a small smirk on his face.

"How are you doing beautiful?" He asked in almost a whisper.

"Better since you are alive. Lanis told me what happened Kal. I don't think that I can ever begin to thank you." She said as she kissed his cheek.

"That's a good start." He said before he looked at the ceiling.

"Athena I'm not rich and I won't ever be. The best that I could do is make a living as code monkey for some corporation. I'm just not cut out to be a journalist, but if it wouldn't bother you to slum sometimes and date a poor college student…" He said before he was cut off by the kiss she gave him.

She kissed him and wanted to deepen it, but somehow she managed to hold on to her self control knowing that he needed the air more than she needed to feel more of the inside of his mouth.

"Whatever you are, and whatever you do besides being a hero doesn't matter to me. I just want to be with you. Besides I know what it's like to be a poor college student." She said.

"Athena Wayne a 'poor' college student?" He asked almost surprised.

"Dad felt that I would appreciate the education more if I had to get a job to pay for extras while he covered classes and books." She said as she smiled at him.

"Now get some rest because when you get out of here I expect you to take me dancing." She said as she smiled at him and watched as he slowly drifted off back to sleep.

(Watchtower – Zatanna's room)

Zatanna leaned back and moaned as she allowed herself this small pleasure. She wasn't much into any certain relationship, but there was times that like any woman she needed attention and when Tim Drake had showed some interest in her she accepted the attention. She couldn't bear to tell him that in a way he was reminding her of Bruce. It wasn't right to use Tim like this. After all he was a grown man with feelings, but after she had become the nexus for the spiritual network she stopped aging. This granted her eternal youth and beauty, but it also created the problem of knowing that someday she would lose those closest to her.

"Oh Tim, Oh God… Oh God… "She moaned as everything began to blur. They were almost completely lost in the moment when her communicator went off.

Both of them ignored it for several minutes, but finally Tim kissed her and smiled as he got up and walked over to the chair and retrieved the black armor he had taken to using since dropping the mantle of Robin.

"Someone had better be in some serious trouble." She said into the communicator.

"Someone is." Bruce answered on the other side.

"Bruce, what do you need?" She asked trying to keep from sounding too angry or excited at the same time.

"Zatanna, do you know Constantine's location at the moment?" He asked gruffly over the communicator.

"Bruce just because I worked with him and dated him some time ago doesn't mean that I keep tabs on John." She said looking annoyed.

"It's important Zee." Bruce said softer.

"Hold on for a moment." She said as she grabbed the Crystal Ball from her nightstand and looked into it.

"He's at the Hoover Dam. It looks like he was just talking to Death. Bruce whatever it is that you need to ask him think about it pretty hard. John may be truthful, but he does have to follow the two main rules for the Ancients. The first is he will answer any question, but if it isn't asked correctly he doesn't have to answer correctly. And the second is that he won't upset the order without informing you what will happen if the order is upset. That doesn't sound like much, but that information has driven a lot men and women insane before." Zatanna said as she got a worried look on her face.

"I'll be fine." He answered before the communicator cut off.

"I'm surprised that the old man called you." Tim said as he took in her natural beauty.

"Not as surprised as I am." She answered as she smiled at him.


	12. Posion

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 12 "Poison"**

(Batwing – Near Las Vegas)

Diana looked at the back of Bruce's head as the batwing flew toward Vegas. She had visited the 'City of Sin', as Koriand'r called it, a few years before marrying Bruce and it surprised her that anyone would want to live here. It wasn't that the landscape lacked beauty, but honestly the entire city was devoted to greed and lust. To be honest it was as if Dionysus took residence here and infected people to the point of being in constant party mode. She could remember walking outside of her hotel room to see a couple making love in the hallway. While the sight was a shock it didn't seem to bother them. She wondered exactly why someone that had been connected to the league would be here willingly. Of course she had never had the good fortune to meet John Constantine before either so she wasn't sure what kind of man he was.

"Prepare to land Princess." Bruce said sounding more like the Bat than her husband.

They landed on the top of a large hotel that was owned and operated by Wayne enterprises. It didn't surprise her that Bruce had the business. After all before they where married he did have to portray the Playboy image, and that did include wild parties in some of the wildest places. They walked over to a special elevator that was on top of the hotel and soon it opened, they walked in, it closed, and then it was shot down six floors below the hotel into another lair for the Batman.

"Exactly how many of these places do you have 'dear'?" Diana asked.

"I have a 'cave' in every major city where Wayne Enterprises are. It's easier than trying to take everything that I need in one trip. Each one of these 'caves' has a set number of suits, weapons, computers, and antitoxins. This is one of the smallest, but I've never really had much trouble in Vegas. Other than the one time Lobo showed up and trashed the 'Las Vegas Strip' when he was drunk after catching his bail jumper. That was before he joined the league. It still bothers me that Clark pulled rank and let 'him' into the league." Bruce said

"He had information on Darkseid and that is something that got Clark's attention. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. He did help us on Asgard though Bruce." Diana said trying to see some sort of goodness in the bounty hunter, but it wasn't exactly easy to see there.

Bruce grumbled a little and then pulled up a program on the computer. Once it was running he called the last number Constantine called from. The hotel informed him that Mr. Constantine had left, but gave them his cell number once Bruce informed the clerk that he was calling in regards to a job offer he had for Mr. Constantine. It wasn't exactly a lie, but then again it wasn't exactly the truth. Once he obtained the number he politely ended the call and then dialed Constantine's number.

"Good the number is busy." He said as he began typing with a purpose.

"What good is it if the number's busy?" Diana asked.

"I can trace the signal of his cell phone to give me the exact location he is standing. I know for a fact that he has a 'Palm extend 6000' and those are made solely by Wayne Tech." Bruce said as the program gave them the location of John Constantine.

"He is in a bar?" She asked looking at the information on the screen.

"From what Zatanna has told me about him that doesn't sound too unusual." Bruce commented as they walked over to a variation of the Batmobile he had for Las Vegas. The both of them jumped into it and took off toward where Constantine had last been.

(Hard luck bar and grill)

Constantine looked at the food on his plate. He normally didn't mind dives in fact he found that normally they had the best food, but this place wasn't exactly his cup of tea. He suspected that the owner was a little shady when he came in, and the chicken fried stake dinner in front of him confirmed it. An owner that was in the restaurant or bar business for the pleasure of it would know how to correctly cook a chicken fried stake. It wasn't the most difficult thing in the world, and it was one of the few foods that the yanks had that reminded him of home.

"Could someone tell me why this stake is burned on the outside and still pink on the inside of it?" he asked as the waitress came back by the table.

"Sorry Hun, but we don't get a lot of customers other than Mr. Zarran, and he only orders the veil cutlets." She said with a truly apologetic voice.

"I'm not blaming you, but this is the first time I have been let down by a small private owned restaurant. I only hope that the beer is better." He said as he took a sip of cold glass she brought out to him.

"Domestic beer? I thought that I asked for a German logger." He stated.

"You did Hun, but Mr. Jones said that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference since you where a limey bastard anyway." She said before she grabbed her mouth and stood wide eyed as she realized how easily she just told him the complete truth.

"Did he now?" Constantine asked as he got up.

Many things had been said about John Constantine. He could be a gentleman, and somewhat of a poet. He also was a drinker and a smoker, but one thing John never was and that was someone that took insults easily. He walked back into the kitchen area and scanned it looking for the one man who would be dressed the nicest. The moment he found him John grabbed the man by his collar and threw him across the bar in the front. John leaped over and smashed his fist into the man's nose. He sat down on the business owner's chest and grabbed the bridge of his now broken nose making the owner yelp in pain.

"I could have said that you know nothing about cooking a decent chicken fried stake because you are worthless, tired, obese, and greasy, 'Goodfella' wannabe, but I didn't. I didn't say that because I have the good manners not to be rude while in another's establishment, or home; however, it would seem that your mother did not teach you good manners so it is up to me to fix that problem. I want a chicken fried stake cooked correctly, and a GERMAN logger. I want both of those things in ten minutes or I am going to take you outside of this establishment and then through you back inside through your stupid, dirty, front window. Do you understand?" Constantine asked sounding extremely upset at the gentleman for his lack of manners.

"Get fucked you little limey fag." The owner said to him.

"So be it." John said as he lifted the owner up and punched him again in the nose. The man screamed and grabbed his face unaware of the fact that they where now headed outside. The man looked around in time to see John throw him through the front window into the bar.

John Constantine walked back into the bar and looked at the owner.

"So now do I get my stake or shall we discuss the benefits of good manners further?" He asked.

Before the owner could answer the door opened and both Bruce and Diana walked into the bar to see John Constantine standing over a known mob enforcer and human trafficking fugitive.

"Constantine I need to speak with you now!" Batman said as he walked over toward the situation.

"Oh Jesus I thought you only stayed in that shit hole city." The business owner said as he tried to stand up.

"I get around, and don't even think about leaving. I've already contacted the state police. They would love to ask you some questions on other business ventures you have going on." Batman said as he walked outside with Diana and Constantine.

"That sorry bastard called me a limey bastard and wouldn't serve me a decent beer or chicken fried stake." Constantine said as he looked at both Batman and Wonder Woman.

"So how long have you too be shagging?" He asked as he stood there.

"For someone who was complaining about good manners you are certainly lacking them." Diana commented as she narrowed her eyes at Constantine.

"Sorry, but the way you look at him, and the fact that you smell like him and also have that healthy glow tells me that you two have been getting to know each other pretty personal like." He stated.

The next thing John saw was Batman catching himself and somehow managing to stop from hitting him in face.

"Not good ideas to do that since you are here for my help." He said as he took out a cigarette and lit it up.

"Hope neither of you mind." He said as he took the first long drag from it and let the smoke slowly escape his lips.

"We're here because I need to find the true name of the Shadow Man." Batman stated plainly.

"I can tell you that, but you need to ask. The reason is because even though I don't work for either side I still have to obey the rules of the Ancients. First set of laws states that any one seeking knowledge must prove them by asking the correct questions for the correct answers." John said as he drew another long drag from the cigarette.

"What is the true name of the Shadow Man which will give me power over him by knowing it?" Batman asked.

"That is the correct question. Listen to this very carefully because I will not give his name or this information again. First understand that by knowing his name and the use of it will upset the order in the spirit world. The Shadow Man exists because there is a need for him to exist. If he is ordered to stop doing his job or if the name is used to weaken him so that he can be destroyed then another soul must take his place. If this other soul does not know how to control the balance it can cause serious problems like horrible wars, world wide plagues, uprising of possessing demons on Earth. The effects are limitless and can last for days, weeks, months, years, and even generations. Do not take this information lightly because the last time it happened; well let's just say that the 'Ice Age' wasn't the most treasured moment in human history." Constantine said as he took another drag.

"The Ice Age was cause by someone knowing the Shadow Man's name?" Diana asked.

"Yes, but please don't cut into your lover's answer. I will now give you his name. Through out the ages he has gone by many names. Shadow Man, Satan, Scratch, Little Horn, The dark one, the walking dude, but his true name is Lucifer. That was the name he was given by the Lord of Hosts before he cast out of heaven for rebelling against the order of what once was. He didn't know and I am certain that he wouldn't believe it now, but it was preordained that he would rebel. The truth was a polar opposite was needed since we where given free will. If that opposite didn't exist then we would truly have no choice." Constantine said as he looked at them both.

"Thank you." Diana said as they began to walk away.

"Before you go there is the matter of your other question." He said as he finished the cigarette and dropped it to the ground.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You wanted to ask who would be the other soul. The answer is both simple and complex. The soul that would take his place would be the one that destroys him. Only evil can replace evil and so only someone evil will destroy him. After the end of days he will be locked away, but not destroyed. So if someone destroys him, then it will be someone who is a mirror image of him that does it." Constantine said as he walked toward the darken alley and headed toward the home of his only priest friend in this city.

(On the Watchtower in Thomas' assigned room)

Doris looked at the room as both of the children slept. She touched Cassandra's head and hoped that she would find someone who was both good for her and good to her in the future. She loved Thomas with all of her heart and he was nothing but good for her and good to her, but she also knew that her mother loved her father with all of her heart and unfortunately he wasn't good for her or to her. She didn't want to see her daughter go through the same thing as her mother. She turned around and looked at mirror in front of her. She walked forward and undid the back snap of her dress and then unzipped it.

She watched as it began to fall down over her breasts and a sudden thought about Thomas made her blush and smile at the same time. She originally had hated the fact that her skin was so bleached white. It meant applying sunscreen to every place where the sun would touch her outside, and it also meant the stares from everyone who would walk by. By the time she was fourteen she had completely given up on ever finding any one that would accept her as she was. She would have completely lost her mind and became like her parents fully if it hadn't been for Thomas.

As her dress fell further revealing the pale perfection of her skin she remembered the first time she met him when she fifteen and he was sixteen. She didn't go to school, and what she learned was from the books that were left in the old warehouses, libraries, toy factories, and children stores that her parents would set up shop in. She did enjoy reading psychology, but her mother tried to lead her away from that. Still when she could get her hands on an old psychology text book she would read for days until she covered it from cover to cover. In fact it was reading one of those books that lead to her meeting Thomas. She had left the safety of their 'home' and 'let' herself into the public library at night. While she was there she heard someone else sneaking around. She followed the sound and found him inside of the library looking up information on his grandparents. They both seemed nervous, but he broke the ice and stole her heart by saying he thought he was looking at an angel.

It wasn't long after first meeting each other that they started to date. She remembered the first time he met her mom. She had convinced her mom to come alone and not tell dad because she didn't want Thomas to be hurt. Her mom agreed and approved of Thomas almost instantly. Shortly after Thomas met her dad, but that was when he took her to Arkham to visit both of her parents. Naturally her dad tried to pick on Thomas, but when it seemed that it didn't bother him then both of them sort of accepted each other. She sat down and began putting her hair up and thought about the first time they made love. It was both painful and pleasurable, but she would never have traded it for anything. She looked at her self in the mirror and prayed the Thomas would be safe. She heard something beep and looked at the door. Her eyes focused on it for a moment before it opened and Superwoman was standing there looking in on her.

"Oh! Oh I'm sorry!" Lanis said as she turned around and started to walk out.

"Why are you at my husband's room?" Doris asked as she stood up not exactly caring that she was completely nude except for her panties.

Lanis turned around and took in the view of Thomas' wife. She was beautiful that was no doubt, but how could he love someone who was connected to one of his father's worst enemies. It bothered her knowing that his heart belonged to this woman. She closed her eyes for a moment and centered herself.

"I wanted to see if Thomas was in so that I could talk to him." Lanis said answering somewhat truthfully.

"That might be part of the case, but I know there is something else as well. I've seen the way that you look at him." She said as she walked toward Lanis

"He is my husband, and I love him. You need to back off right now before this causes anymore tension between us. I want to be a friend, but I will fight to keep my husband." Doris stated as she turned around and walked back into the room.

Lanis didn't know what was coming over her. She wasn't violent, and she wasn't one to just cause trouble. For some reason beyond her understanding Lanis was inside of the room with the door closed and standing toe to toe with Doris Wayne.

"He deserves better." She said as she looked at the wife of Thomas Wayne.

Lanis would have continued to stand there and attempt to scare Doris, but the door opened and Athena walked inside.

"Lanis what are you doing in here?" She asked.

"She was just leaving weren't you Lanis." Doris said as her eyes narrowed at the super powered woman.

Lanis turned and walked out feeling foolish and angry at Doris. She decided at that one defining moment that she didn't like Doris Wayne very much at all.

(Back inside of Thomas' Room)

"So what was really happening?" Athena asked Doris who casually walked over to the closet and found a robe that she had left up here a few months ago.

"Lanis was trying to scare me away from Thomas. She has an unhealthy fixation on him and if it is unchecked it could cause some potential problems for the League as well as anyone without super strength that is standing in her way." Doris said as she wrapped the robe around her.

"How do you know that?" Athena asked as she closed Thomas' Door.

"My mother was a clinical psychologist, and I have read every single book over psychology and not to mention my father is a perfect person to study. Compared to him Lanis is as easy to read as a children's book." Doris said as she sat down and saw little Cassandra open her eyes and look at her.

"Are you hungry baby?" She asked as she picked up the three month old and held her to her left breast.

"Is it serious enough to warn the founding members?" she asked.

"I would warn mom for certain. She has always been pretty close with Lanis and may be able to control the situation without it coming to any physical alterations." Doris said as she fed little Cassandra.

(Apokolips Darkseid's Palace.)

Granny Goodness looked at the current queen of Apokolips. Shortly after Darkseid's defeat at the hands of the heroes of Earth Lashia's daughter Leena came to power. It wasn't hard to believe since the girl was half Kryptionian. Of course now Darkseid's essence had finally shown itself and was ready for a new body to be hosted in.

"Leena my sweet our Lord Darkseid has returned." Granny Goodness said as she looked at the current ruler.

"I know Granny. I have seen visions as well. He has commanded that he first born son of Kal El's son should be the host body, but I have a better idea. Scan the earth to find the list of heroes and we shall bring the one that is most compatible for him." Leena said as she leaned back in the throne and began to think of how to completely dominate Darksied once he returned to them.

(Darksied/Leena's throne room two hours later.)

Desaad walked slowly into the throne room as he looked at Leena with distaste. The female ruler of Apokolips was in no way as cold and calculating as Darksied had been. He managed to maintain his professional attitude and held up a piece of paper with six names on it.

"Leena my current queen and ruler I have the list of names that would be suitable short term hosts for our lord Darksied. The first name is Kal Kent the son of Kal El or Clark Kent depending on which you would rather call him. The second is Thomas Wayne the II son of Bruce Wayne and Princess Diana of Themyscira. Like his mother he has super human strength, but retains no ability to fly. There is also Kal El himself, and there is…" He began to finish before Leena stopped him and smiled.

"Bring the son of Bruce Wayne and Diana. Darksied essence will give him the other powers he lacks and his vessel is immortal. Such a thing would be worth much to Lord Darksied." She said as she began to think of how she could control Darksied in such a body.

"As you command my queen." Desaad said as he left and informed Granny Goodness and the Furies of their new mission.


	13. Its my Life

(Hey everybody. I wanted to give a little heads up. There is a character that I am using in this chapter that has been introduced in War of the Gods. The character is Shay, which she is an identical double of Shayera Hol. In War of the Gods she was created for the sole purpose to psychologically abuse Shayera and at the same time give Loki a sense of control over her. When he created Shay he split Shayera's soul between them and this allows them to feel, and on some levels experience what the other experiences. In a way they are a lot like Diana and Donna. Hope that this helps and please remember to read and review.)

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 13 "It's my life"**

(Outside of Nighthaven three hours until the deadline with the Shadow Man)

Diana looked at Bruce with a slight worried expression. She knew that the name Constantine gave them was correct or at least as correct as he knew, but still the small lingering amount of doubt crept into her mind. She tried to shrug it off, but every time it returned and reminded her that if Bruce said the name wrong, or if that wasn't his true name then Bruce would lose his soul. The seconds ticked by slowly and she wondered what they would do about Loki after this. If they succeeded and did beat this 'devil' then they still had the Norse god to worry about. She looked at Thomas who was pacing the floor obviously worried about his own family and wanting to be with them.

"Thomas go ahead and transport up to the Watchtower. We'll contact you if there is any trouble." She told him.

She watched the worry melt from his face and he grinned slightly. He contacted J'onn and was gone.

"Father if you beat this devil can you command him to return my mother?" Damien asked as he leaned against the bar.

Diana didn't dislike Damien, but it was a blow to find out that Bruce had another child by Talia before they got together. Of course Bruce had no idea of it either and it lead to the thought that perhaps if they hadn't found each other would Talia now be married to him. She shook her head and realized that while Bruce had once loved Talia he didn't anymore. The moment that she left him for dead, and followed her father sealed their fate. Talia had lost all chances with him after that. That was a mistake that she wouldn't ever make.

She listened as Bruce told Damien that he would demand that his mother be returned, but once she was back he would turn her over to the police if there was any evidence linking her to the attempted murders of either Athena or Thomas.

(Watchtower Thomas' Room)

Thomas materialized inside of his room and looked at the two sleeping children. He walked over to Cassandra and softly touched her face. He looked at little Bruce and smiled as his son rolled over and looked at him. He lifted the boy up and held him gently.

"What have you been doing little guy? Have you been keeping mom busy?" He asked as he looked at his son.

"Not as busy as their father has with making her worry." The sweet voice of Doris Wayne said as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I wanted to get up here before now." He said.

"I know. I've asked if Shay could watch them for us. She said to let her know and she would come in and make sure that they where alright." Doris said as she kissed his cheek.

"Is that John's Shayera or Wally's Shay?" Thomas asked.

"Mrs. Shay West Wally's wife is which one. I better let her know that you are here now and we need a little time together." Doris said as she contacted Shay through the private communicators.

Thomas watched her and then watched as she slipped out of the robe which now covered nothing at all and quickly pulled on a short red and black dress. He took note that she was wearing the dress, shoes, and nothing else. He smiled at her and began to walk toward her when the door chime went off. She smiled at him and walked over to it and opened it to reveal Shay, Wally, and their youngest daughter who was thirteen.

"How are you doing Thomas?" Wally asked as he reached for Thomas' hand.

"I'm doing pretty good Wally. How are the two of you doing?" He asked.

"Not too bad considering that we just got Barry to go to College." Wally said.

"He wanted to take a year off and then what does he do? He gets together with Question! Helena could have bit nails in half when that happened. I never once believed that she would be so protective, but she is. Of course Victoria is just like her father. She can't stop finding hidden meanings and conspiracies in everything around her. I think that Barry is the only one that can stand to be around her when she goes off the deep end like Vic would." Shay ranted for a moment before her eyes widened and she turned toward Wally.

"We are here to baby set and not play 'house', so please don't pinch me on the ass again unless you want to lose your hand." She said in a playful tone.

"Can't you two get a room?" Shiera, their daughter, asked as she rolled her eyes and folded her wings around herself.

"If we had that attitude then you wouldn't be here young lady." Shay said as she kissed Wally.

"You know you're going to traumatize Thomas and Doris' children. They will never be able to look at either of you the same again." Shiera said as she sat on the bed and looked at the still sleeping Cassandra.

"Just because you walked in on us last week…" Wally started to say before Shay punched him in arm.

Wally looked at Shay and remembered back to when she was first brought to the Watchtower. He had learned from Shayera that Shay, as she took to calling herself, had been created by Loki and the Norse god had split her soul between them. When one would feel anger the other would. It surprised him to no end on how alike and different both of them where. They almost appeared to be identical twins; which, in itself wasn't that surprising since Shay had been created to be Shayera's double, but Shay was more laid back and out-going of the two. Shayera had her moments of fun, but even when she was relaxing she was still a soldier. Shay didn't have any problem getting him back if he teased her. Of course his natural tendency of flirting ended up getting him on the receiving end of some good natured flirting.

Three months after knowing each other they began to date. Shay revealed that she had all of Shayera's memories and while she knew that Shayera loved John with all of her heart she had also been attracted to Wally. It was this attraction along with the fact that Wally would go out of his way to help and protect her when on missions together that strenghted how she felt. Wally remembered the last time they were on a mission together before dating and saw Shay attacked and pinned against the wall by Cadmus' creation called Doomboy. The mixed clone of Doomsday and Dr. Light was hovering over her like a vulture hovered over his next meal. Wally felt the rational part of his brain shut off and he rushed toward Doomboy as fast as when he attacked Brainiac and Luthor when they had fused together. The attack seemed to weaken the clone, but not before it landed one good punch. The force of the punch added to the speed that Wally was going caused Wally to be launched over Doomboy and sent far above where Shay was at. He didn't see Shay's expression turn from terror to hate and anger in an instant.

He didn't see her take Doomboy's diverted attention as an advantage and slam her mace into the back of his skull knocking him into the ground and then lauch herself into the air. The one thing he did see was her with the sun behind her back as she caught him and held on to him as if she would never let go. Over the course of the next three weeks in the medical bay on watch tower she stayed with him. She didn't leave and no one assigned her to any missions. When he was finally able to get around without assisstance she took him out. After that they went out for about six months before they got married. Six months after being married they had Diana who was named after her god mother.

"Yeah… Well we'll be back before too long. If you need anything just contact us through the private communicators." Thomas said as both he and Doris left.

"So what do you want to do baby?" He asked her as they walked down the hall of the Watchtower.

"I would like to get a nice dinner, go dancing, and make love like there is no tomorrow, but I know that you can't stay for too long. Puddin' you need to get back to mom and dad and make sure that everything goes alright. So for now I am going to settle for us getting something to eat together, and then we'll head back." She said plainly as they walked.

(Gotham – Nighthaven Club two hours later)

Bruce watched Diana pace the floor waiting for the Shadow Man to appear. He knew that she was worried, and that only made it harder to wait. Thomas had gotten back only a few minutes ago and it seemed as if he was more at ease. Still even with his semi calm mind it was obvious that his son was still on edge when it came to what was getting ready to happen. He got up and stretched. He turned around when he smelled sulfur and looked into the eyes of the Shadow Man.

"Time is up mortal. Give me the name." The Shadow Man said.

"You're true name is Lucifer." Bruce answered simply.

"Damn it Constantine! Fine I shall no longer attempt to kill your children as per our agreement." Lucifer said as he began to turn around.

"Not so quick. You are to release Talia and return her unharmed. Also you are to release both her and Damien from Ra's debt. It is his debt and his only." Bruce said.

"Do not push it mortal. You have power over me now, but there will be a day when I come for you and I shall do it before you can speak my name." Lucifer said as he snapped his fingers and Talia appeared before them.

Talia raised her head up toward Lucifer and spat at him. The King of Lies smirked at her and touched her cheek.

"Come now my dear is that any way to treat the father of your unborn child?" He asked as he laughed and soon disappeared.

Diana looked at her and saw that Talia was 'unharmed' physically, but it was obvious that Lucifer had taken her by force. The woman that once would have been her rival for Bruce's affections stood and raised her head proudly. She walked over to the closet and pulled out a suit of clothes. Without any hesitation she stripped off what clothing hadn't been torn to shreds and put on the fresh clothes.

"Damien get the matches and the metal wastebasket. I want to burn these reminders of that 'monster'." She said as she sat down and poured a stiff drink.

"Talia are you alright?" Diana asked.

"I had hoped that my beloved would ask before his wife, but no I am not alright. I will be one day, but not for a long, long time." She said as she drank the vodka and poured another glass.

"I can't abort this child before either of you ask. This child is part supernatural and so it is protected beyond normal means, but it also means that it is half of my blood line so I shall do something that will ensure that he will not be the end of the world exactly." She said.

"You're going to place Ra's mind into the child." Bruce stated as he looked at her.

"Yes, it will give my father a new body, and it will also ensure that Lucifer is not able to live through it." She said as she finished off the second glass and poured another.

(Apokolips Darkseid's throne room)

Leena smiled as the female furies gathered together. She wanted to show the Earth the power of 'her' kingdom and now was the time. She would go to Earth, take Thomas Wayne, and allow her father to see the daughter he never knew. She would then kill her brother and sister on that world and prove that she is the only child of Kal El's that deserved to live.

"Leena when we attack let me have Kal El." Her mother Lashina said as she smiled.

"Of course mother he is my gift to you." Leena said as she smiled and then opened the Boom Tube to Earth.

(Gotham City – business district.)

The Boom Tube opened and the furies stepped out. Leena smiled as she led the attack and soon they where disposing of hundreds of worthless lives.


	14. The Unforgiven II

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 14 " 'The' Unforgiven II"**

(Gotham Business District – Wayne Tower)

Leena grinned evilly as she ran another security officer through with her blade. The lessons with the lowlies and how easy it was to end their lives wasn't near as satisfying as killing those who fought to survive. She looked above her and saw an alarm system. Thinking of the fun of fighting someone stronger she triggered the alarm and listened as the sirens wailed out their song.

"Leena my sweet what are you doing?" Granny asked in utter confusion.

"We have come here for one of the heroes right? It stands to reason that they will come when those alarms are set off. In the mean time I want everyone here killed. Start with those that don't resist first." Leena said as she ran the last security officer through on the current floor.

(Outside of the Nighthaven club.)

Bruce listened to the faint beeping coming from his communicator. He pressed it and the feed from the Wayne Tower's security cameras and hidden microphones came through to his hidden visor.

"Diana contact Clark now." He said angrily

"What is it Bruce?" She asked.

"The furies from Apokolips are here. They're at Wayne Tower right now and killing everyone inside. I know that Fox will be alright since he will head to the hidden lab inside of the building, but everyone else will be dead in a few minutes. Thomas come with me and we'll try to stop them before the Boy Scout gets here." He said as both he and Thomas rushed off toward the tower.

(Metropolis – Clark and Lois' house.)

Clark looked at his wife as she climbed on top of him. Since the kids have both left home it gave them time to be together more. They moaned slightly as they began to move together in a way reserved for those deeply in love. Lois leaned down and kissed him deeply and at that moment the communicator from the Justice League went off.

Lois sat up and a furrow formed between her eyes.

"Damn it. It always seems to happen right when we're in the middle of something important." She said.

"Lois I don't have to answer it right now." He said as he looked at her. _She's still beautiful when she's annoyed. _He thought.

"Clark I can't be completely selfish. I want to be, but I know that I can't be. I just wish that they would contact Lanis first." She said as she moved off of him and slid down beside him.

Clark reached over and picked up the communicator. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he answered it.

"This is Superman." He said as he leaned back against the pillow.

"Kal this is Diana. There is a serious problem in Gotham. The furies are here and they are tearing through Wayne Tower. Bruce is already heading there with Thomas and I am on my way to help. I don't know what they are after, but this is the first time that I've heard of them working together since Vic killed Darkseid." She said over the communicator.

"I'll be right there." He said as he began to get out of bed.

"What's wrong Clark?" Lois asked.

"The female furies from Apokolips are attacking. It's strange since they haven't attacked all together in years." He said as he dressed almost instantly.

"Clark promise me that you will be careful. If they are working all together than it could mean that Darkseid is still alive. If that is the case then this may be a trap for you." She said to him.

"I thought of that too, but if he wanted me I would think that he would attack here. Something else must be happening." He said as he walked out into the backyard where they had left the group of trees to overgrow slightly and took off from there.

(Gotham – Wayne Tower)

Leena heard Mad Harriet laughing with delight as she killed another civilian. The game was starting to get boring when the Batman and 'Dark Rider' arrived. She looked over the one called Dark Rider and knew that he must be Thomas Wayne. His build was the same and the way he carried himself showed that he was from a proud race. She used her X-ray vision and smiled at the fact that she was right with just her first judgement of him.

"The one with the Batman is the one we want take him!" She shouted.

Thomas stood ready and felt the first of many strikes against him as Mad Harriet struck him with the energy claws on her hands. He groaned in pain as she dug in and tried to shake her off. Once again she grabbed him and tried to dig her claws into his face.

"Get off me you crazy bitch!" Thomas yelled as he finally caught Mad Harriet and threw her through a wall.

He turned to get a hard kick from Stompa which knocked him to the floor. He looked up in time to see her foot come down again and the force knocked through the floor and through the floor of the basement all of the way into the old Applied Sciences sub-basement. Thomas slowly began to stand and felt a sting of pain as he touched his stomach. He looked around as he heard an insane cackle.

"I've never had anyone hurt me like that before. The rush of pain felt near orgasmic. Please give me another one." Mad Harriet said as she jumped down to where he was.

Thomas' eyes narrowed at the woman as she drew closer to him. She lashed out with her claws and he caught her arm. Moving quickly he drew her close to him forced her down and pinned her arm painfully behind her back.

"Yes! Gods YES HARDER HURT ME HARDER!" she screamed with delight as he held her arm dangerously close to breaking.

(Above the Applied Sciences sub-basement in the main lobby)

Batman faced down Stompa as she drew closer to him. She tried to grab him and when she did he tossed a mini mine. The small explosive knocked the fury back and with that small distraction Bruce began to unleash every attack both long range and hand to hand on her. He turned when he heard a step behind him and was caught by Lashina's whip and was fortunate that his suit was insulated against electricity. Lashina grinned about the action until she was knocked away by Diana.

(Above the fight in Wayne Tower)

Leena watched the fight and smiled as she watched Wonder Woman. The moment that it looked like she was starting to win against her mother she shot down to the fight and knocked Wonder Woman away from her. She tried to strike a hit against the Amazon when her sword began to glow a brilliant red and then white. She dropped it and smiled sweetly toward the man that was her biological father.

"Father it is such a pleasure to finally meet you; however, I can not allow you to interfere with resurrecting lord Darkseid." She said as she blasted him with her own heat vision.

(In the Applied Sciences sub-basement.)

Mad Harriet moaned in pleasure as Thomas caused her arm to go numb from the pain. She pushed against him and rubbed against his groin. He pushed her away and she looked at him with a hurt and confused expression.

"No, don't stop punishing me. Please hurt me more, take me, make me yours' if you would like, but hurt me more!" She screamed at him.

"You are one seriously screwed up bitch." He said as he backed away from her. He turned when he felt a hand on his back.

The woman behind him smiled kindly and caressed his face. He watched as the room melted around him and slowly he saw everyone disappear and only Doris was standing there with him.

"What the hell is this?" He asked, as he looked around uncertain of what was happening.

"Darling you where dreaming. It's all right now. Everything is all right now. Come with me Thomas. Be with me and make love to me." The illusion of Doris said to him.

(In the Applied Sciences sub-basement)

Mad Harriet watched Mirage work her mind tricks on Thomas. She didn't like the newest fury at all and often vocally expressed her distaste of her. Now the little bitch was going to taste of this wonderful, masterful, man's gifts through trickery. She could have gotten him to take her out of lust and received more punishment from him while it happened. Her eyes narrowed and she ran toward her new 'partner'. She hated everything about Mirage. She hated the flowing raven hair she had, and she hated her beautiful face. The fact that she was slender, sleeker, and would rival any super model only infuriated her more. The moment she got close to Mirage she struck out with her claws ripping through Mirage's black kevlar like armor.

Thomas stopped in his tracks and shook his head. Slowly the hall in Wayne manor, Doris, and the door to their bed rooms where gone. There instead was the crazed woman and a fairly attractive woman fighting each other. If the situation would have been different, and if he wasn't in the middle of defending Gotham he would have laughed at what they where fighting about.

"The new body for lord Darkseid is mine to have first!" Mad Harriet hissed.

She swiped her claws at Mirage again only to miss as the other fury jumped back.

"Granny said that if you couldn't handle him then I could invade his mind and have him. It seems that he would like me better anyway. After all who wants a masochist to constantly hurt, screw, and then throw away when they can have a beautiful woman who can and will become everything they want." Mirage said as she smiled and pulled a weapon out from behind her back.

Mad Harriet was most definitely insane and unstable, but even she knew about the black blast boxes. The boxes simply eradicated you instantly. The death was painless, and thus would not be pleasurable. She slowly stepped back from Mirage watching the young fury carefully.

"I've wanted to kill you since I've met you Harriet, but I thought it would be better not to kill you, but to wound you fatally and make sure that you couldn't even feel it." Mirage said as she fired the newly adjusted weapon. Mad Harriet stood frightened for the first time. She feared losing the ability to not feel pain and then she feared dying only too never feel pain again. She feared that she wouldn't get to taste the fruits of this wonderful, masterful, man, and most of all she feared never again being reborn into existence. Her fear wasn't realized, because when the weapon fired, and for a reason he didn't understand himself, Thomas jumped in front of it saving Mad Harriet's life.

The insane fury looked at the one that had given her such pleasure from his punishments, and who had been so close to her without even knowing it. She felt something strange and new erupts from inside of her and lashed out at Mirage. She caught the black blaster box and cut the cord to the energy release trigger. The next swipe caught Mirage on the left side of her face cutting her from her forehead to the corner of her mouth. She began to jump at Mirage again only this time she was stopped by a long dagger that went through her left shoulder blade. Mad Harriet turned around to see the outline of Leena floating above her. The current leader of Apokolips had managed to knock her father far enough away and kept both Wonder Woman and Batman busy so that she could see what was taking so long.

Her crystal blue eyes narrowed as she looked at Mad Harriet.

"Mad Harriet you are doomed to stay on this world. If you return to Apokolips I swear that the death Lord Darkseid will have in store for you that will not be pleasurable, and it will not linger. It will be instant and it will be the very end of your existence for all time." Leena said as she opened a Boom Tube and grabbed Thomas' unconscious body. She touched a small button on her forearm, which in turn informed all of the furies to withdraw and leave.

"No he was mine! He was mine!" Mad Harriet screamed as Leena, Mirage, and the rest of the furies left.

(In the lobby)

Bruce watched as the Boom Tubes closed. He rushed forward and jumped trying to catch one before it closed; however, he was too late. He looked around at the damage to the Tower and would gladly let the entire thing collapse if it brought his son back to him.

"DAMN IT!" he shouted at the top of his voice.

Diana pulled herself from the rubble and watched as Bruce fell to his knees. She knew instantly that Thomas was gone. Those demented, twisted, evil warriors of Darkseid's had stolen him away from them. She looked back toward Clark and watched as he came close.

"Kal we need to get your mother box now." She said to him as he came back over to where they were.

(Apokolips – medical lab under Granny Goodness' orphanage.)

Leena looked at the unconscious body of Thomas Wayne laying on the table before her. The new host body of Darkseid was striking different than her father or any other male on Apokolips. He seemed to inheirited some of his mother's perfection. She smiled knowing that they would not be wiping his memory instead they would allow Darkseid to enter the host body and battle Thomas within himself. The action would weaken the former ruler of Apokolips and would make it easier for her to control him. She ran her hands over his naked chest.

"You shall become the figurehead and I shall become your queen." She said as she kissed his neck.

Unknown to Leena Desaad watched and listened to her while she was in the room with the host body. He narrowed his eyes as the hatred of the current queen filled him. Lord Darkseid would destroy her, but if the host's memory was left intact then it could be possible that the host could control the body. He reached under his robes and pulled out a glowing green dagger.

(Watchtower 2 hours later)

Diana looked at her daughter in law as she stood in disbelief. She didn't want to tell Doris about this, but the moment they came aboard she was standing there waiting for Thomas. She walked with Doris off to the side and informed her of what had happened.

"So if you get this mother box then you can bring Thomas back right?" Doris asked as she tried to keep her composer.

"I promise that we will bring him back. Right now we're getting the box, and then we are going back to Earth to open the Boom Tube." Diana said to the girl that had proven herself to be trustworthy time and time again.

Doris nodded and started to turn around. Diana watched as her daughter in law got weak in the knees. She rushed forward and caught her.

"Mom I'm scared for him. What are they doing to him?" Doris asked as she began to lose all composer and weep.


	15. Desolation Row

(Merry Christmas everyone. This chapter is Black Sheep's Christmas chapter. Hope that you enjoy it.)

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 15 "Desolation Row"**

(Apokolips medical lab under Granny Goodness' orphanage)

Desaad walked into the lab carefully trying hard not to attract Leena's attention at this moment. He held the dagger close to him as he drew closer and prepared to thrust it into the false queen's back. The moment he was nearly upon her she turned and smiled at him. The reaction made him step back quickly before he watched her grimace in pain.

"It is Kryptonite my queen. It is a special blade that was crafted for my lord Darkseid. He wanted to take everything from your father and then have him beg for death, which he would generously grant him. I now give you the gift of oblivion for the deception that you have displayed toward our lord." Desaad said as he rushed forward and was suddenly knocked back. He looked not at Leena, but at the host body as it raised off of the bed.

"Desaad it is not your choice who lives or dies, but mine only." Darkseid's voice said through Thomas' body.

"My lord forgive me I only wanted to follow your true will." Desaad said as he knelt before his master.

"My will is to destroy Kal El, and destroy all of those that are close to the human who placed me into the energy like form that I have been reduced to. This body is fit, and immortal, but it is not eternal. Like all immortals it can be killed by an immortal weapon or by another immortal themselves. Strange I feel the presence of this body's soul and memories. It was not cleaned before I was placed into it was it?" Darkseid asked.

"My lord the temptress queen wished to control you through his memories and actions." Desaad said as Leena stood there in great anger.

"Leena such planning and scheming is not rewarded; however, I shall not have you destroyed. You are to be placed into a brothel where you will learn humility for your actions." Darkseid said as he struck Leena and knocked her to the floor. She started to rise against him, but the tyrant shot out at her with his terrible energy.

"My lord please I only serve you, and I wished only to aid you in the destruction of my father." Leena stated as she was bombarded with the energy from Darkseid.

She watched as Darkseid made his host body smirk at her. She felt the energy finally end and watched as he lowered his hand. For a moment she could see the host's own personality and soul come forth before Darkseid managed to push him back into the recesses of their shared mind.

"You are unable to defeat me Thomas. I shall go to earth and destroy your family and everyone that is close to you. You shall bow to me eventually and once I have the son of Kal El I shall give you oblivion." Darkseid said almost as if talking to himself.

(Inside of the mindscape shared between Thomas and Darkseid)

Thomas stood holding his shoulder. Ever since the older woman had brought a vial full of energy to him and poured it over his body he had been fighting with this god like tyrant. There were a very few people that were naturally stronger than he was and he was facing one now. Still it seemed that when he really concentrated he could almost overpower the tyrant. That's when it began to come clear. Darkseid was only able to fight him with his mind and not with his power.

"Alright Darkseid let's dance." Thomas said as he rushed the ruler of Apokolips.

Darkseid almost smirked at Thomas until he felt the half Amazons fist struck his face. He looked at the half Amazon with clear hatred in his eyes. Within minutes they where trading blows. Thomas finally managed to force Darkseid into a corner of his mind and hold him there. He could feel the influence of the evil ruler, but for the moment he was back in control of his body.

(Inside of the medical lab)

Leena watched the host body and even though he never staggered, or faltered she could tell that it was Thomas back in control of his body. Her face shined for a moment, as she looked at someone who was able to defeat the tyrant that ruled Apokolips for so long and holds him at bay. Naturally Darkseid would eventually wear him down, but it impressed her to see how mentally strong he was.

"My lord I shall do whatever bidding you ask." She said as she lowered her head.

"Desaad leave us." Thomas said in Darkseid's voice.

Desaad bowed and left the room. Thomas watched as the half blood krypotian stood up. She reached out and touched his face.

"You managed to cage Darkseid a feat not often accomplished especially when it comes to a battle of the minds." Leena said, as she looked him in the eyes.

"I need to get back to Earth, and you are going to help me." Thomas said as he looked at her with contempt.

"She means that much to you doesn't she? I will take you back, but I want to come with you." She said simply.

"I will not promise that you will be welcomed." He said as his face tensed slightly.

"Even now he is breaking through your barriers isn't he?" She asked him.

"I will fight him forever if I have to, but I will return home." Thomas said.

"I admire your courage, but if you are to beat Darkseid then you will need help to remove his essence from you." She said to him before breathing in the smell of him.

(On the Watchtower – inside of the conference room.)

Bruce looked at Clark and at the mother box before them. He had hoped that it would be able to open a Boom Tube, but it had been damaged the last time it had been used. While it could open a Boom Tube it couldn't be set for any specific location. It would be on hope only that the other side would be Apokolips. That was when Diana mentioned Mad Harriet who was currently in the cellblock on the Watchtower.

That thought brought back the hope that they would see Thomas again. Both Diana and Bruce headed down to the cellblock and looked at Mad Harriet as she sat so quietly it seemed that she could be dead.

"Harriet where is your mother box?" Diana asked her.

"The queen made me throw it away. Filthy bitch said that I am not welcomed back on Apokolips. She said that Lord Darkseid would be displeased with me." Harriet said as she slammed her fist into the dense metal surrounding the cell. The metal didn't budge and soon another thud could be heard and then another. Within minutes Mad Harriet was savagely beating the sides of the cell until her knuckles where raw and bleeding.

"More, more pain!" She screamed as she continued her self-induced punishment.

"If anyone needs to be in Arkham it would be her." Diana said as they turned from the cell.

(Wayne Manor – Main hall)

The Boom Tube opened and Thomas stepped out followed by Leena. She smelled the fresh air and began to think of the possibilities of this world. Of course her father would stop her from taking over, but then again she wanted to lay low for a while. Desaad already knew what her plans had been, and if she returned to Apokolips she would be tried, convicted, and terminated. The fact that Desaad had a dagger ready for her meant that the entire time they where ready to kill her once Darkseid came back to power. It made sense though. Kal El and his children would have to be removed. That would be the only way Darkseid could rule unquestioned.

"Stay here and don't do anything stupid." Thomas said to her.

"What would I do 'master'?" she asked him as she watched him leave.

_He will never leave her. The fight with Darkseid is proof of that, but if he has a brother I would like to meet him. Such a proud, strong specimen shouldn't go to waste._ She thought as he walked off a little ways.

(Nighthaven Club – managers office)

Lilth groaned in both pleasure and anger as she looked at Damien. By using her name he had become her master. Of course he had decided to exercise this new sense of power by ordering her to fall in love with him. The order was cruel and unjust to say the least. She hated him, but when she saw him she couldn't help but fawn over him. To his part of it he remained just out reach. Now he was allowing her to massage his back, and while she longed to touch him, it angered her that he was using her feelings like this. She wanted to hate him, and she wanted to claw his eyes out, but no matter how much he pushed her away she only seemed to want him that much more.

"That feels good. Lilth tell me what happens to you since you have a human emotion now." Damien asked as she loosened the muscles in his back.

"I can never return to where I was spawned. I will be stuck on Earth for all time, and when the end of days finally comes I will not be allowed in either heaven or hell." She said softly.

"That is interesting. Lilth show me what you look like without the illusion of being human." Damien said.

"Please my love don't force me to show you." She pleaded.

"I want to see. Show me what you look like without the illusion." Damien told her.

She drew in a breath and stood. She removed her shirt and let it fall to the floor. She groaned in pain as two bat like wings sprouted from her back. Her eyes became golden and cat like and he watched as her hair changed into a stunning silver color. Her fingernails and toenails became a glossy black, and two small perfect shaped horns pushed out of her forehead. He watched, as the last thing to form was a long black tail much like a cat's tail. She turned her head away from him in shame as he gazed on her in the truest form she had.

"I'm a monster." She said looking away from him.

"No you're beautiful." He said as he walked closer to her. She felt his hands on her face as he pulled her into a kiss.

"Please don't tease me. If you want me, if you care for me don't string me along. Your command changed my heart into one much like a humans. I can feel love and pain. Don't toy with me." She said hoping that he would understand.

(The Watchtower – Teleporter room.)

Bruce and Diana stood silent as they heard the communication from Thomas. Diana felt a rush of relief come over her until he told them that Darkseid's 'soul' was placed inside of him.

"Stay where you are. I am going to get Dr. Fate and Zatanna to come to where you are. We will find a way of separating you from him." Bruce said as he ended the communication.

(Inside if Thomas' room.)

Doris heard the voice of her husband and felt so much relief run over her.

"Thomas thank God! I was so worried about you! Are you all right? Where are you at right now? I will meet you there with our children." She said before he could get a word in.

"I'm at home. Listen dad is going to come and help me with something, but I want you to come down right after." He said to her.

(Wayne Manor – Main hall)

Leena looked at the large tree that was decorated standing over in the corner. She stepped closer to it and looked at the various ornaments and flashing lights hanging on the tree. She could smell candy from the tree and touched one of the red and white striped canes that was hanging from the tree. She plucked one from it and unwrapped the thin plastic that covered it. Unsure of what it would taste like she softly touched the cane to her tongue and was surprised as it turned out to be a minty taste. Without a second thought she plopped the cane into her mouth and began eating it.

"Mmmmm." She said as she took another cane off of the tree and ate it. Within seconds the tree was missing all of the candy canes and the former female fury, and false leader of Apokolips was searching the room for more of 'candied' canes.

She heard the sound of the teleporter, but at the moment she was too busy gathering the boxes of the 'candied' canes and tearing into them to notice Wonder Woman, Batman, and Dr. Fate standing there.

"What are you doing here?!" Diana asked as she looked at Leena who was currently stuffing her face with 'candied' canes.

"Mmrpph" Leena said as she looked at her.

"She brought me here." Thomas said as he came into the room.

Diana watched as her son's face tensed and then relaxed briefly. He stepped toward them and then Leena watched as his hands went to his ears.

"Thomas fight him you have to fight him." Leena said since her mouth was no longer full of the 'candied' canes she had found.

"I am, but he's pushing so hard against the barriers I have set. Mom helps me…" He said before he fell to his knees.

"Batman we have little time. The fact that he is immortal has helped him, but you don't want to wait any longer. His soul is being attacked by Darkseid as we speak and sooner or later Thomas will loose too much ground." Dr. Fate said as he looked at Thomas.

"Help him now." Batman said.

"He can't without more help." Zatanna said as she appeared. She touched Thomas' face and drew her hand back. We need to take him before Diana's gods. I believe that they are the only ones that will have the power to remove Darkseid's presence from him." Zatanna said as she looked at both Bruce and Diana.

Leena looked at him and then at the both of them.

"I owe him my life. He saved me from the brothel that Darkseid was going to place me in. Once that happened he was going to allow me to beg for death. I want to help separate them." Leena said with the smell of peppermint on her breath.

"We'll consider that to be your Christmas gift to him." Diana said with her eyes narrowed.

"What in the blue hell is Christmas?" Leena asked using one of Thomas' colorful expressions.

Bruce looked at his son knowing that inside of him a battle was waging and it was everything that he could do to just keep his ground.

"We will save you son." Bruce said to his youngest son.


	16. Until it Sleeps

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 16 "Until it Sleeps"**

(The Watchtower – Inside of Thomas' Room)

Doris looked at her two children. She loved both of them with all of her heart and she would do anything in the world for them, but she also wanted to make sure that Thomas was all right. After a few moments of considering what to do she walked to the teleportation room with her children and asked J'onn to transport them to Wayne Manor. The moment they appeared inside of the Manor she could see Thomas laying on the ground. She felt a horrible amount of fear pit up inside of her stomach and couldn't help but to run to him.

"Thomas!" She shouted as she carried their babies toward him.

"Doris stay back!" He managed to shout to her.

She wanted to run closer to him, but something in his voice made her stay back. She looked at Diana with worry written on her face.

"We have to take him to Themyscira. He has one of the Leagues worst enemy's soul inside of him, and I have to see if one of the gods will remove it from him." She told her daughter-in-law.

Doris nodded and then she looked Diana in the eyes.

"We're coming with you. He will need a focusing point, and his family would be important to him. Not only that, but I feel that our being there may be important." Doris said as she watched Thomas struggle with the foreign soul inside of him.

As they headed down to the cave, Bruce watched Doris closely. He knew that she was trust worthy, but the fact of who were her mother and father made him somewhat distrustful of her. He watched as she walked over to the suit that had belonged to Harley Quinn when both she and the Joker had introduced a large batch of specialized venom to the inmates there.

"I remember mom talking about this costume. She said that after you managed to stop them in Arkham they began working on me. Of course it would be a couple more years until they would get me." Doris said as she smiled.

She looked at her father in law and rolled her eyes slightly. She could tell that he was watching everything that she did and finally decided to confront him about it.

"You do realize that I am not my mother or father don't you? I'm your son's wife and mother to your grandchildren. I don't mind if you don't trust me completely because of the same reason you don't trust most people, but stop judging me by their mistakes," she said to him.

"You have a lot of your mother in you," he finally said before he turned away.

"What is that suppose to mean?" She asked him.

"You would face off against someone stronger and faster than yourself to protect and stay with your husband. Not only that but you have her intelligence. My son made a good choice with you, but I worry that if something happens to him it might drive you over the edge," he said as he leaned back.

"I won't lose myself like she did. I have both of our children to live for if something was to happen to Thomas, but not only that I didn't fall for someone like my father. I didn't bind my heart to someone who would use me and barely ever show me any affection like my mother did and allow myself to be driven insane in the process. Thomas is my other half, and in some ways my better half. Like you said I won't stop fighting for him," she said giving Bruce a glare worthy of any of the Batclan.

(Mt. Olympus)

Athena looked at the other gods and goddesses as they discussed the problem with the resurrection of the New God Darkseid. Like the others she also feared the blight that Darkseid would bring upon the worlds of both the mortals and the gods. Phobos had suggested that the quickest and easiest thing to do was kill the host-body and then disrupt the spiritual energy that composed the soul of despot. Hades believed that the souls could be separated inside of Tartarus. Finally the eyes of the others fell on her.

"I do not like admitting when something is beyond my power, but separating both Thomas' and Darkseid's souls is beyond my power. The truth is Hades may be the only one capable of the task," Athena said as she looked at the god of the underworld.

"They will arrive in Themyscira before the day is over. Once they arrive have them come to me," Hades said as he turned and left.

"Can we trust him?" Aphrodite asked.

"We don't have a choice. We either hope that Hades will actually do what he says or we have to destroy Thomas Wayne," Athena replied.

(The Batcave)

Diana watched as Doris and Bruce seemed to finally come to an understanding. She knew it had been hard on Bruce to accept that Doris wasn't like either Harley or the Joker, but it seemed that he was finally coming to see her as she saw Doris. A small smile came over her as she turned toward both the invisible jet and the batwing. Both where too small to carry everyone, but being true to his need to always be prepared, Bruce pushed a few buttons and up from the floor rose a larger black jet.

"It's a little slower than the Batwing, but if we are all going together then this is what we are taking," he said.

Before they all boarded Bruce stopped Doris. He looked at her and handed her a duffel bag that once belonged to her mother. She looked at him questioningly.

"You may have to fight for him. Everything in this bag belonged to your mother, and for the most part none of it is lethal," he said as she took the bag and held both it and Cassandra close to her.

(Las Vegas Caesar's Palace VIP room)

Constantine looked at the _being_ sitting across from him. They had worked together various times, and it usually been to correct a problem that would lead to biblical ramifications if allowed to play out. He took out a cigarette and lit it. Slowly he pulled a long drag from it and then let the smoke escape his lips and dance up to his nostrils. The other _being_ in the room didn't seem to mind.

"So how long are you going to sit there before we discuss what the problem is?" Constantine asked as he enjoyed his smoke.

"You helped the Batman by giving him Lucifer's name. That isn't why I am here exactly. When you gave the information it opened various paths and doors. Constantine being one of the Ancients you understand that each door has the potential to create greater problems than what was there originally," The Phantom Stranger said as he looked at the immortal John Constantine.

"Something is happening with the Batman then?" Constantine asked.

"Something is happening to his child. At this moment his child is host to the soul of the new god Darkseid. Because of his actions Darkseid has earned a one way trip to the fiery pits of hell itself, but since he is hiding inside of Batman's son he is hidden." The Phantom Stranger explained.

"So what exactly does this have to do with me?" Constantine asked.

"Think about this John. If Darkseid comes to full power then he will bring about the destruction of the world. This will cause the end of days and that will lead to your death." he answered simply.

"So what am I to do?" Constantine asked.

"It is time to come off of the fence John. The choice of which side you join is your own, but a choice needs to be made. I will tell you that either side you join Darkseid will meet his deserved fate." The Phantom Stranger answered.

"Could his son steal the spiritual energy from Darkseid?" Constantine asked as he began rubbing his chin.

"Yes, that could be possible. It would open two new doors for him if he did this. He will need help to drain the energy from Darkseid," The Phantom Stranger said as he looked at Constantine.

"I am going to call Batman and then call Lilith. I just chose a side didn't I?" Constantine asked as he leaned against the chair.

"Yes John, you just chose a side." he answered as John got up and paid for the drinks and food.

John Constantine walked out of the room and headed toward the alleyway. He dialed the number that he had been given by the League. After a few minutes he heard the voice of Batman once again. He could hear the bitter anger coming off of Batman's voice.

"I know what's happening Batman. The Phantom Stranger informed me, and I know how he can get rid of Darkseid." Constantine said as he waited for the answer.

"Be prepared to be transported here," Batman said.

A moment later the phone went dead. Constantine began dialing the number for Lilith's cell phone when he felt a tingling sensation surround him. Within moments he was inside of the Batcave looking at Batman, Wonder Woman, a hero dressed as a biker, a very lovely young mother who could easily have been a living porcelain doll and a beautiful woman who smelled of peppermint.

"Tell me what you know right now!" Batman growled at Constantine.

"He needs to absorb all of Darkseid's spiritual energy, and for that he needs to have help from another spiritual being. Lilith has experience with this, and I am certain that we can get her help." Constantine explained calmly.

(Nighthaven Club)

Lilith looked at Damien, as they lay in he bed together. She had laid her heart out for him and when she did he responded. She had never felt so fulfilled in her life. Her mind thought back to her origins in Macedonia. She had been born a human, and originally she was the daughter of a temple priestess and a drunkard. Her mother had raised her at first, but first thanks to the head priestess she had to be sent to her father. Like most men of the time he viewed her as a possession and not a person. She was often beaten, passed to his friends as a sort of party favor and then left to clean. Finally when he had acquired too much debt he sold her to the local brothel. She remembered the horrible feeling as she was forced to pleasure the men who would come in. She could remember the gut wrenching feeling of going through the motions with those bastards. The very last man she was with in her human life choked her while he forced himself upon her.

She could feel the life draining from her and that was when the Shadow Man appeared before her. He looked so beautiful and talked so sweetly to her. He promised her eternal life if she would agree to become a new being. She would become like an angel. She agreed and felt the last bit of her life slip away. Moments later she awoke in the body she was in now. The very body that Damien wanted her to be in when they were alone together. His command had given her the heart of that abused, lonely and damaged little girl again. She had forgotten how good it felt to be in love, and how much it ached without them.

"What are you thinking about love?" Damien asked as he pulled her closer to him.

She felt his muscular arms as he held her and then felt his hot breath on her shoulder. She moaned in delight as he kissed her and his hands found her breasts. Still he had asked a question, and because she not only loved him, but also served him she answered.

"I thought about my former life. Your command, which caused me to fall in love with you, also allowed me to see the life I once had." she said truthfully.

He began to ask another question when the door opened and his mother stepped inside.

Talia knew that her son was sexually active. If he was anything like his father he was sexually active, but it displeased her to see whom he was active with. The demon that shared his bed was connected to the one that had taken her by force. She closed her eyes and threw the demon a robe and her son his clothes.

"My beloved has called for your help Lilith. Damien you are to get dressed, and take this _woman_ to your father's home. Once there she is to help your brother." Talia said as she turned and walked out of the room.

"She doesn't like me does she?" Lilith asked.

"She doesn't like Shadow Man and that makes her distrust you. She will come around eventually." he said as he kissed the back of her neck.

"I hope that she does." Lilith said as she began to get up.

She reached for the robe when she felt him grab her and pull her down onto his lap. Her eyes widened as he lifted her and pulled her back down. She felt shutters of pleasure ripple through her and moaned in pleasure as he strengthened the physical bond between them.

"My love… My love we… We have to… Oh God… No we need to go… your mother… That feels so good… We have to go to your father's… Damien don't stop… Don't listen to me… God it feels so good…" she said between gasps of pleasure.

The mention of his mother began to slow and soon stopped the love making between the two. He could see and hear her pout as she slowly got up and wrapped the robe around her. He stood and dressed. He watched her as she slowly transformed into the illusion of her human self. He smiled at her and watched as she returned the smile and kissed him. Quickly she pulled away and smiled like a love struck teenager.

"We need to leave now." she said as they walked out of the club and headed toward Wayne Manor.

(Wayne Manor – Thomas and Doris' room thirty minutes later.)

Lilith walked into the room and looked at Thomas lying on the bed. She could sense the dark soul of the New God inside of him. She looked to see Diana, Doris, Bruce, Leena, and both of Thomas and Doris' children. She could feel a sense of dread fall over her when she heard Constantine enter the room from behind her.

"Lil they have a problem and it falls into your area." he said.

"John I really wished that you would have left me out of this." she said as she walked over to him.

"Can you help him?" Diana asked.

"I can help him, but the question is are you going to be able to keep an open mind about it." Lilith stated as she touched Thomas' cheek.

"What do you mean?" Doris asked not liking the way she was touching her husband.

"I will have to bond with his mind, and that requires a lot of energy. If it was just energy from myself it wouldn't matter, but it will require his energy. I can absorb that energy and redirect it, but it means that I have to do it through sexual intercourse. Like it or not I am a succubus, and that means that we absorb life energies from that act." she said as she looked at the floor.

"That is not happening," Doris said as she narrowed her eyes at Lilith.

"I'm sorry, but that is the only way that I can bond with his mind and help him," she said.

"Is there no other way to help him?" Diana asked as she looked at the succubus.

"I don't like this idea anymore than any of you. I don't want to do it because I finally found some happiness, and if I do then everything will fall apart again. That's the only way that I can help him, but I could transfer my powers for a short time. When I do that person would be able to bond with him physically and then they could bond with his mind," Lilith said as she looked hopefully at those present.

Doris looked at her and didn't even wait for anyone else to say anything. She walked toward Lilith and looked her straight in the eyes.

"I'll do it. Tell me what I have to do and I will do it," Doris said as she looked tenderly at Thomas.

"Stand still and don't move." Lilith said as she let her fangs grow slightly and bit her. Doris nearly jumped and felt a surge of power flow into her. She felt a warming feeling deep inside of her and her normal desire for Thomas multiplied a hundred fold.

"Oh God it feels amazing…" she whispered as she touched Thomas' leg.

"Now all you have to do is make love to him. When you do clear your mind and let only the thoughts of him enter your mind. When that happens the both of you will join together inside of his mindscape and then you can help him with the energy you absorbed from him." Lilith said.

"How long will this take?" Batman asked looking unconvinced that this was the only solution.

"It should only take about fifteen minutes, but I have also known it to take hours." Lilith said as she looked at Batman.

"There has to be another way besides this." Batman said as he looked at his son and daughter-in-law.

"Dad even if there is I don't think that there is enough time. I'm going to try and save him. I need everyone to leave the room except for mom." Doris said as she looked at everyone else.

Lilith and Damien quickly left the room understanding completely the need for privacy. Reluctantly Batman walked out and he made sure that Leena left the room as well. Diana looked questioningly at Doris as she shut the door.

"Why did you want me to stay in here with you Doris? From what Lilith told us the act you have to do should be very private and personal." Diana stated.

"It is, and I want you to leave in just a second mom, but I don't know how powerful this Darkseid is. I don't know how much energy Thomas has left for himself, and I'm worried that we both might die in there. If something does happen to us both; if Thomas and I die, or we don't wake back up I want you to promise me that you will raise Cassandra and Bruce. They will need a good mother, and to be honest I can't think of a better mother than you. I would ask my mom, but we both know what my dad would try to do to them. I'm sure that he would care for them on some level, but eventually he would attempt to make both of them just like him." Doris said as she slipped out of her dress.

Diana looked at both of the children as they slept in their cribs. She quietly walked over and picked both cribs up and carefully walked to the door. She could see Doris striping Thomas down and that made her turn her head away.

"I promise if anything happens to the both of you I will raise both of these little angels." Diana said as she slipped out of the room with both cribs.

Doris could feel and ache and need for Thomas that rivaled anything she ever felt before. Her mind was trying to fog over as she looked at his muscular frame. She kissed his chest and took in the taste and smell of him. The building of desire was starting to take over her mind, and it was everything she could do to keep from following a basic animalistic need to take all she could get through pleasure. Fighting to keep control she remembered that this was for more than pleasure; this was to save Thomas' life. Taking one of his hands she touched it to her breast, and she watched as his body began to answer. Slowly she climbed on top of him and felt the physical bond begin between them.

She closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure as every one of her senses began to tingle. Slowly a warming feeling began to gather in her stomach. The feeling spread to her entire body. She could feel a wondrous charge of energy enters her and it seemed to keep building. She began to completely empty her mind and keep only the thoughts of Thomas within herself. A sort of fog began to form in her mind and within seconds she looked up to see Thomas standing inside of Arkham Asylum. He had his shoulder against the cell they used for Mr. Freeze and she could hear another voice. The other voice sounded muffled and angry.

"Forget it Darkseid I am not letting you out of there!" Thomas shouted as he held the door closed.

"Eventually boy your energy will weaken enough that I will be able to collapse this pathetic building you've created in our shared mindscape. When I do I shall take great pleasure in killing your children and then deciding whether or not I will place your wife in a brothel or simply use her and then kill her." Darkseid said from the other side of the door.


	17. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 17 "For Whom the Bell Tolls"**

(Inside of Thomas' mindscape)

Doris walked toward Thomas as she listened to Darkseid rant from inside of his cell. She watched her husband as he looked at her with an expression of disbelief. She reached out to him and felt the energy radiate from inside of her. The moment she touched his hand it seemed as if he was able to gain a second wind. She watched as he stepped back from the cell door and let Darkseid step out. The dark lord of Apokolips looked at him in contempt. He jumped toward Thomas, but Doris watched as Thomas hit Darkseid harder than he had ever hit anyone before.

"I don't know where you got all of this extra energy from boy, but I will beat you," Darkseid said as he looked at him.

Doris didn't wait for Darkseid to get another chance as she ran up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. She could feel energy pour off of him into her. The evil tyrant seemed to sense that this _woman_ was far more dangerous than he had originally realized. He tried to knock her away, but she held on. He finally rammed the both of them into a wall and Doris felt her arms loosen slightly from around him.

"I don't know how you gained the ability to enter into his mind, or how you are able to absorb spiritual energy, but I promise you that neither ability will stop me from sending both of you into oblivion," he said as he picked her up and backhanded her across the room.

She fell into one of the cells and looked around at it. Slowly she realized whose cell it was and smiled as she reached under the bedding feeling for the loose tile. The tile almost seemed to appear from nowhere and she lifted it pulling out some of her father's smilex bombs which he had stashed inside of both his and Harley's cells.

"Thomas don't breath in!" she shouted as she hurled the first bomb toward Darkseid.

Darkseid looked at her with amusement. The foolish woman believed that she could stop him with a memory of something from this place. He looked at the bomb, which went off and sent a stream of green gas toward his face. He waved it away, but soon found himself chuckling at everything around him. He tried to regain composure, but soon his mouth was hanging open and a long evil laugh was escaping from inside of him.

Thomas watched Darkseid as the former ruler of Apokolips went into laughing fits. He knew that Doris must had recognized either Joker's or Harley's cell. That explained the laughing bombs as his father called them. He watched as the gas cleared and then he rushed Darkseid who was attempting to fight the effects of the smilex gas. The moment he got to Darkseid Thomas struck him with a right punch and then a left kick to the groin. The tyrant groaned while still laughing but struck back with an equally powerful punch. He grabbed Darkseid and then felt his wife's hands on his waist. She leaned against him and Thomas began feeling tremendous amounts of energy pouring off of Darkseid into him. He felt the new god kick away and look at him.

Darkseid acknowledged Thomas as a threat for the first time. Somehow his wife had gained the ability to absorb spiritual energy and that meant that they where attempting to weaken him enough that he could be removed. He concentrated and the laughing stopped. He smirked as an idea came to him. She was in the mindscape with them, and that meant that he could attack her mind as well. As he and Thomas circled he reached into Doris' mind and pulled a memory that had caused her fear and pain in the past. He smiled as the floor beneath her began to crumble and two scaly hands broke through and grabbed her ankles.

"Thomas!" Doris shouted as the recently created image of Killer Croc pulled her down into his domain.

(Inside of Thomas' mindscape - The main sewer junction between Arkham Asylum)

The entire sewer seemed dark and the sounds of the rats chewing behind the walls was all Doris could hear. She stood up and looked at herself for the first time since she appeared in Thomas' mind to help him defeat Darkseid. She realized that she was naked and began to wonder if she should cover up. Of course the wondering ended when she heard his laughter. A shiver went down her spine, as she looked at the two sparkling yellow eyes in the dark corner.

"We didn't get to finish playing last time did we?" Croc asked as he stepped out.

"You are not real!" Doris shouted to him.

"You don't think that I'm real? I'm real enough that I can kill you in here. You remember what happened before Wonder Woman decided to save your sorry ass don't you? I broke your neck and drove poor, sweet Thomas to become the very thing that killed you. I made him a monster! And that's why you're scared of me. It's not the fact that I can kill you, but it's the fact that I can take everything good away from him and turn him into me!" Croc shouted as he laughed.

"It's not like last time Croc! I don't have to depend on my daddy's toys this time!" she shouted as she ran toward him and landed a kick to his chest.

Croc fell back a little but soon caught himself and swung out at her. He watched as she managed to avoid him like before. A smile crossed his horrid lips as he stalked toward her.

"You can't keep avoiding me forever little girl. Unlike last time I'm going to really have fun with you. I think that the first thing I will do is taste what it was that made your dear sweet husband become a monster like me, wanting to be killed so that he could join you in the afterlife," Croc said as he began to stalk her again.

She continued to back away from Croc. The idea that she could fight him wasn't lost to her, but he was attempting to psyche her out. If he did then she would come out swinging and that would be all of the advantage he would need. She had to keep reminding herself that while this thing had the body of Killer Croc it had her same intelligence inside of it. She stumbled back and bumped into a body of a dead guard whose radio came on. She heard driving heavy metal and a bell-ringing coming from it. She stood and listened to the song from Metallica that Thomas had often listened to before going after a bounty.

"Make his fight on the hill in the early day. Constant chill deep inside. Shouting gun on they run. Through the endless gray," the radio played out as she looked around herself.

She turned to see Croc coming out of the water behind her. He reached for her and grabbed her pinning her arms to her sides and smiling evilly at her. He looked her in the face and liked down her neck to her breasts.

"For whom does the bell toll? It tolls for thee," he said before he laughed sadistically.

"Croc old boy I suggest that you drop what belongs to me right now," a familiar voice said with a chuckle.

"Who the hell is that?" Croc asked as he turned and saw the clown prince of crime standing there.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk, Croc old boy has anyone ever told you the old joke about what happens when a father finds you messing around with his daughter? If they haven't it has a hell of a punch line," the mental image of Joker said.

Croc dropped Doris and looked at the Joker. He rushed toward the Clown prince of Crime just in time to get a face full of acid. The Joker danced around excitedly and then kicked Croc in the side while he was down moaning. Croc's hand shot out and grabbed the Joker, but that mistake was soon corrected as a large mallet found its way to the back of Croc's skull.

"Just in the nick of time pooh," Joker said to Harley as she walked around Joker and kissed him passionately.

"I couldn't let 'im hurt our baby Puddin'," Harley said. She smiled as Joker faded out of existence.

Doris looked at her mother questioningly. She figured that her father was a memory, or mental image, but her mother was still standing there.

"Sweetie don't try to figure it out. I'm here with you because I did something for Doctor Destiny when he told me what was going on. I just hope that Puddin' doesn't find out. I don't like cheating on him, but I had to make sure you where alright," Harley said as she looked at her daughter.

"Doctor Destiny has you here? Oh God Mother, he's completely demented, and that's not to mention that I thought he was completely bed bound," Doris said.

"I am. However inside of someone's mind I can do pretty much what I want," Doctor Destiny said as he stepped out.

Doris looked at the dream-controlling convict. He had been moved to Arkham after the last fight with the Justice League had left him completely paralyzed. She knew that Diana hadn't meant to break his back, but it had been the only way to keep him out of Bruce's mind. She covered herself and looked at the dream controller with distrust.

"I don't blame you for not trusting me. After all I did make your mother agree to a special arrangement inside of her mind. I must say she is quite limber," Doctor Destiny said as he pinched Harley on the ass.

She watched as her mother turned her face shamefully away from her and looked toward the ground.

"Leave her alone," Doris said to him as she felt some of the power from Lilith surge inside of her.

"Why should I? Your mother agreed to become my personal love puppet. Every time she goes to sleep I will be there to make sure that she pays in full," he said with an evil grin.

"I said leave her alone!" Doris shouted and a bright brilliant light flowed off of her and slammed into Doctor Destiny.

The dream controlling convict slowly got up only to have another blast of energy hit him and this time it stripped the false persona of Doctor Destiny away from him. John Dee looked at her with fear and attempted to leave, but found that he was unable to disconnect from within the mindscape.

"Listen to me little man. If you so much as harm my mother, come looking for me, or hurt anyone else that I care about I swear I will find you and make you wish that you where dead! Do you understand me you little bastard?!" she shouted at him.

John nodded and soon he disappeared. She turned to her mother who had tears in her eyes. She felt her mom pull her into a hug and then looked her in the eyes.

"You are so much stronger than I am baby. I'm so proud of you, but you had better go and help Thomas. Don't let him die, because for the first time someone in our screwed up family has found a good man," Harley said as she disappeared.

Doris looked to where he mother had been and saw the old Harley Quinn costume. She quickly grabbed it and pulled it on before she felt something sprout from her back. She looked over her shoulders to see a set of bat like wings. The one on her right side was black while the one on her left side was a crimson red. Smiling she leaped into the air and flew up toward where Thomas was fighting with Darkseid.

(Thomas' Mindscape – The main Cellblock for all of the super villains held in Arkham.)

Thomas grabbed Darkseid and head butted the new god. He felt something different for the first time. Darkseid was bleeding. The new god finally got loose from Thomas and raised his hands into the air. Thomas watched as Lashina, Mad Harriet, Stompa, and Mirage appeared. Thomas looked at the furies and watched as they circled him. The first to jump toward him was Mad Harriet. He moved out of the way and looked at her slightly disappointed face.

"You gave me so much punishment last time. You brought me to the very edge of bliss and this time you don't want to even touch me?" Mad Harriet asked as she stood in front of him.

Darkseid watched in amazement as the mental image he'd brought to life began to disobey her only order. She removed the claws from her hands and looked at Thomas. She walked toward him seductively as he backed away from her trying to get some distance between him and this crazed woman.

"I want you master. You gave so much pain and pleasure to me before, and I want only you," she said as she licked her lips.

"Get away from me," Thomas growled at her.

"You don't mean that," she said as she tried to stoke his cheek.

"Yes he does," Doris said harshly as she backhanded Mad Harriet through the wall.

"So what the hell happened between you and that poster child for masochistic personality disorder?" Doris asked Thomas in a semi demanding tone.

"The crazy bitch jumped me in the Wayne building and I threw her through a wall. After that she thought that I loved her or at least wanted her," Thomas answered as he turned his attention back to Darkseid who was looking confused as to why the furies weren't behaving the way he was mentally commanding them to.

"Is the way she was right now the way that you last remembered seeing her?" Doris asked as she looked at Darkseid's confused face.

"Yes it was in fact. She actually dropped her guard around me," Thomas said not wanting to go any further than that.

"You've lost Darkseid. We have most of your spiritual energy and that means that we can control these mental images," Doris said as she watched the furies disappear.

"You've not won yet child," Darkseid said as he unleashed his omega beams toward her.

Thomas jumped in front of her and screamed as he felt the beams burn into his back. He then felt an immediate cooling sensation as Doris touched his stomach and soon the energy from the beams seemed to become a part of him. He turned and looked at Darkseid who was now attempting to escape. He grabbed the new god by the back of the neck and pulled back.

"I'm going to make sure that you never hurt anyone again you son of a bitch," Thomas said as he slammed Darkseid's face into the wall.

Doris watched as her husband picked Darkseid up and threw him back into Freeze's cell and the door closed and locked itself. She smiled at him and felt his arms wrap around her in an embrace. He kissed her neck and she purred softly for him. She watched as he pulled back and smiled at her.

"Lets get you out of that costume sweetheart. After all you're your own woman, and you don't need to copy your mother," he said as he ripped the costume off of her.

"Right… You just wanted to see me in all my glory Mr. Wayne," she said teasingly before they kissed again.

Slowly a bright light engulfed them and when it cleared she was looking down at him while she was on top of him. She looked over her shoulders and saw the wings that were still present. She began to worry about what he would think when she felt his hands softly run down her wings.

"Nice change sweetheart, but when did it happen?" he asked.

She smiled and kissed him again deeply. Her tongue found the inside of his mouth and it was everything that she could do to keep from engaging in another round of lovemaking.

"Lilith loaned me some of her powers for a short time. I don't know what will happen when she gets them back, but I am going to miss being able to do that inside of your mind," she said as she slowly got up.

(Thomas' and Doris' bedroom fifteen minutes later.)

Lilith instructed Doris to grow her fangs slightly and then bite her as she had been bitten. Within a few moments Doris felt some of the energy leave her. She looked behind her to see the wings still there.

"It doesn't happen all of the time, but sometimes when we loan our powers to a mortal the mortal keeps part of them. I doubt that you will get much more than the wings, but just consternate for a few minutes and the wings will disappear," Lilith told her.

Doris did as she was told and felt the wings retract into her back. She then smiled at Thomas as she zipped up the back of her dress.

"Is that it then? Is Darkseid gone from him?" Diana asked.

"No Darkseid is still inside of him, but he is powerless. It would be best however to have the new god removed and the only ones that can do that is other gods. I am afraid that removing him is beyond my ability," Lilith said.

"So what happens to his energy?" Thomas asked.

"It is inside of you from now on, and it will be your choice on how you use it. Personally I would suggest using it better than he did," Constantine said as he began to walk out of the room.

"Then we still need to go to Themyscira," Batman said as he looked at his son.

"Grandmother Hippolyta is going to be pissed off isn't she?" Thomas asked.

"She may be, but I can honestly say that it isn't going to matter. I want that _creature_ out of you and soon," Diana said as she crossed her arms.

(Twenty minutes later in the Batcave.)

Bruce watched as everyone got into the larger jet and was almost ready to leave when he heard running footsteps. He turned to see Athena and Kal Kent running down the steps and looking at him. Kal still looked weak and from what Bruce could figure it was the Kryptonite poisoning starting to finally make its way out of his system. He looked at them and crossed his arms.

"Dad we want to come with you," Athena said as she looked at her father.

"Someone needs to stay and patrol Gotham," he answered as he turned away.

"Dick and Tim have both agreed to patrol for me tonight. Dad I want to go because you all are my family and I want to be there," she said.

His gaze dropped to her hand, which she tried to cover up before he could see her finger. His eyes narrowed and then looked at Kal Kent.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" he almost barked the question to Kal.

"I love her sir, and we both agreed to have a long engagement so that everyone could get used to the idea of us being together," he said as he felt Athena's arms wrap around his waist.

"Get on the jet and you can expect for us talk about this later," he said as he watched his daughter squirm under his gaze. He could already tell that his glare had the same effect on Kal that it had on his father. The half Kryptonian was attempting to stay as far from him as possible. This made Bruce smirk as he piloted the jet out of the cave.


	18. Nothing Else Matters

(I would like to take a moment and thank DaisyJane for beta reading this story for me. After it is finished there will be a rewrite. And honestly I believe that it is going to be better than the original.)

The Black Sheep

**Chapter 18 "Nothing Else Matters"**

**(**Themyscira Three hours later)

Lilith looked at Damien as he exited the jet. He had decided to come with his father to see the land of his stepmother's birth. She was fine with it until she saw the Amazons coming near the jet. She didn't fear that they could or would hurt him, but instead she feared that some of them would attempt to gain his attention.

"You are to board your jet and leave now," the first guard said as they all finished exiting the jet.

"I have come to speak to my mother and to speak to the goddess Athena," Diana said as she stepped forward.

"Princess you and the other women shall be allowed to traverse the island; however, all of the men will board the jet and stay there," the guard said with a bow of respect.

(Terakkin mines Sector 867-5309B – Czarnian System)

Vicca stood over a huge rock chiseling away, with a jackhammer, at the hunk of stone and metal. She could feel the constriction of her tarnished super weave fiber suit. Finally after breaking yet another head from the jackhammer she switched on her communicator.

"Treia turn on the fraggin vents! This fraggin suit is choking me to death!" Vicca said through the communicator.

"Damn it Vicca this is the sixth time today you've called for the air vents. Those suits are designed to create oxygen for the users. If Trigrog finds out that you're getting oxygen from the ship pumped down to you he's going to be pissed," Treia replied over the communicator.

"Like I give a frag what that dirty old man says. I'm his best miner and you know it. Now turn on those fraggin vents!" Vicca shouted.

After a number of curses, the overhead air vents switched on and Vicca removed her helmet and her super weave fiber suit. She stood there dressed only in a pair of shorts a tank top. If someone from Earth were to look at Vicca from behind they would swear that she looked like an Amazon. Her jet black hair hung loosely down her back and her skin was a dark bronze from working so near the Czarnian sun.

She felt the cool breeze coming from the vents and began digging again with the jackhammer. She loved working in the mines most of the time although; she did enjoy working with the matter munchers on the ship as well. The large machines could only be handled by the strongest people in the company. With the exception of two guys that had escaped from War World, she was the only other one qualified to operate the machines. Her thoughts on the matter munchers stopped when she finally broke through the rock and looked at a glowing bright green crystal lying before her. She reached for it and suddenly felt faint. She let out a groan and fell against the floor. Slowly she managed to crawl over to the emergency biohazard spray area and felt the cool waters cover her. Two robotic arms took her and pulled to safety.

From within the rock a groan erupted and the green crystal that was embedded inside of the rock began rocking back and forth. Slowly the crystal moved and from behind it a large slow moving robotic sentry growled. The last remaining embodiment of Brainiac crawled out and stood. The communications satellite from Luthor Corp had downloaded his mind and, unknown to everyone on Earth, it had beamed his mind away from Earth until it found the satellite connected to the Mega Mammoth Mining Corporation.

"This old design Kryptonian Sentry will do for the moment; however, I must find my way back to Earth and finish collecting the information there. Once I have completed my programming Kal El and all of Earth shall be destroyed," Brainiac said as he felt the Kryptonite sticking out of his chest.

The radioactive chunk of Kryptonite was all that seemed to be powering the old robotic sentry. If he could have smirked then he would have. He could kill Kal El with his new body thanks to the new power source. His new eyes scanned the area and picked up the biological signature of a Kryptonian.

Vicca watched as the robotic sentry began to walk toward the biohazard safe room. She crawled toward the back wall as the robotic creature grabbed the large unobtainium door and began ripping it from the reinforced concrete wall. Without a second thought she grabbed her company teleportation band and pressed the button. She didn't know where the unit would send her, but at the moment she didn't care.

(Czarnian system – Green Lantern outpost 16)

Lobo looked at the Lanterns as they checked out the criminal he had brought to them. They had to check his finger prints to ensure that the beaten, bruised, and now disfigured criminal was actually Talon, captain of the space pirate ship Ranzor. The moment they decided that it was Talon they handed Lobo a card with 300,000 credits on it. Lobo smirked and kicked Talon into their arms. He heard a sound kind of like the teleporters back on the Watchtower and looked up in time to see a nearly naked girl fall into his arms.

"Today seems to be the Main Man's lucky day," Lobo said as he looked at the unconscious woman in his arms.

He looked up to see if any more girls would fall from the sky and when it seemed that they wouldn't he carried the girl back toward the Space Hawg 3000. He rested her against his chest and held with one arm as he activated the mini atmosphere generator. The moment the machine started he took off and headed toward the Watchtower. His eyes were enjoying the curves of her breasts when she began to talk in her sleep.

"Sentry… destroying mine… Treia no…" she said before she was quiet again.

Lobo thought for a moment and looked at the League communicator he had. After a moment of deliberation he decided that he should inform them of what was happening.

"Watchtower this is Lobo. Patch me through to blue boy," Lobo requested.

"What is it Lobo?" the voice of Superman said over the communicator.

"Superman I've brought Talon to justice out in the Czarnian system, but I've run across an interesting new development. Not that I need any help, but my source has said something about a sentry destroying a mine. The only mine out this way is the Mega Mammoth Corporation mining company," Lobo explained as he looked over the girl's curves again.

"Tell the Lanterns and have them look into it Lobo. That's not League business," Superman said over the communicator.

The girl began to stir and Lobo finally looked at her face. He hadn't noticed it before but it seemed that her face was somewhat like his own. When she opened her eyes he saw the same red eyes that he had. She wasn't a full breed Czarnian, but she was certainly part. Still there shouldn't be any other Czarnians other than himself, and that's when it occurred to him. He and Mala of Krypton had had some wild sex a long time ago. Of course this was after Jax-Ur had failed to take over a planet and both of them where again exiled. Mala had finally had it with taking orders from Jax-Ur and in a rebellious act had slept with Lobo.

This girl who he had been eyeing and looking at like a piece of meat was probably his daughter. For a moment Lobo felt sick to his stomach for even thinking about her in a sexual manner. The next thought that came to him was that if she was his daughter than what had happened to Mala.

"Your mother is Mala of Krypton, right. Where is she?" Lobo asked.

"How do you know who my mother is when you don't even know who I am?" she asked.

"That's going to be a long story, but where is she?" Lobo asked.

"Mom was kidnapped twelve years ago when I was nine. She made me hide in the locker at the old Mega Mammoth Mining colony. I stayed in there until I was found by old man Trigrog the next day. He let me stay at the company and trained me to mine. I've been working there ever since. Now how do you know my mother?" she asked again.

"What did your mom tell you about your father?" he asked.

"Only that he was a low life piece of scum bounty hunter who just happened to be a great lay," she said looking at him.

"Well, I'm that low life piece of scum bounty hunter so say hello to your papa," Lobo said narrowing his eyes at her.

Vicca looked at him and then slapped him hard across the face. The sound of it echoed loudly in the narrow atmosphere generated by the bike.

(Back at the mines.)

Brainiac finished building the modifications into the sentry. He had destroyed everyone with in the mines in a matter of minutes and now he had access to the teleportation device the mining company was using. He integrated the technology into his new body and signaled in on the nearest Justice League communicator.

(At the Green Lantern outpost with Lobo and Vicca.)

The half Kryptonian and half Czarnian looked at her father with contempt. For most of her life he had been gone, and now he shows up and tells her who he is supposed to be. She was about to launch a stream of curses that only someone who spoke Kryptonian would understand when the sentry that had attacked her earlier appeared.

"There you are Kryptonian. I wasn't able to introduce myself before. I am Brainiac and all of you are data to be collected," Brainiac said as he looked at them both.

Lobo didn't realize it but during their argument his daughter had activated his communicator. On the other side Superman listened to the voice of Brainiac as he introduced himself to everyone there.

(Watchtower Clark's room.)

Clark listened as he heard the voice of Brainiac once again. He leaned back and sighed as he knew that they would have to face off against Brainiac once again. His mind went back to the last fight with Brainiac. The artificial being had bonded with Lex Luthor and nearly destroyed them by creating a copy of the Justice Lords. He wondered if Brainiac might have kept part of Luthor's personality. The very thought caused him shiver slightly. If Brainiac was as evil as he was then it could be a serious problem. He didn't wait for Lobo to say anything or call for assistance; instead, he rushed toward the teleportation chamber and locked in on Lobo's communicator. The next second Lobo and Vicca were inside of the Watchtower looking at Superman. The half Czarnian and Kryptonian looked at Superman with questioning eyes. She watched his actions and then it occurred to her who he was.

"You're Kal El. My mom told me about you! She said that you defeated her and Jax-Ur. She wanted you to become her leader and master. You might not know it but she told me about sneaking a peek at you in your Fortress of Solitude. She said that you where hung like a Kardassian bull. The only problem was that you were too much of a goodie good. She said that there was no way you could have handled some old fashion down home Kryptonian lovin'," Vicca said with a smirk.

_Getting under his skin just like I do. She really is my daughter although I don't like the way she is checking him out. Damn it I bet that she has my libido as well. Damn it why did I have to find out that I had a fraggin' daughter today?! I just wanted to get some credits, go get laid, and pig out at Al's Dinner!_ Lobo thought as his daughter all but began to feel up Superman.

(Themyscira Hippolyta's palace two hours after Thomas' arrival)

Hippolyta had allowed for everyone to come to the palace with the understanding that if any of the males stepped out of line they would leave. She looked at her grandson and could tell that something had happened to him. She turned her attention back to Diana and motioned for her daughter to speak to her.

"Daughter why are you here?" Hippolyta asked as they walked together.

"Thomas was captured by the female furies from Apokolips not too long ago. While in their custody they placed Darkseid's soul into him. With help he was able to absorb Darkseid's spiritual energy, but now he needs to have the New God's soul removed. I've come to ask Lady Athena if she could do it," Diana said as she looked at her mother.

Hippolyta looked again at Thomas and then nodded. She could understand the worry that Diana was suffering. She motioned for Diana to follow her. They both walked into the temple and bowed before the image of Athena. Hippolyta slowly stood and preformed a short ritual that ended with lighting several candles and then quickly bowed again as Athena appeared before the two Amazons.

"Rise Hippolyta and Diana. Diana I know the reason you have came to visit me. I do not have the power to remove Darkseid's soul from Thomas. That is a power held only by Hades himself. He has agreed to remove the New God's soul; however, I do not know what tribute he will request of Thomas to do so." Athena said as she looked Diana.

"Do we need to visit his temples?" Diana asked feeling anger that she would have to turn to her _father_ for help.

"No you need only to go to the gates of Tartarus. Once there we will allow the gates to be open for a short time. I know that Hades said Thomas would have to go into Tartarus to have the soul removed," Athena said as she looked at the daughter of Hippolyta.

"When will the gates be opened my goddess?" Diana asked.

"They are already open Diana. Go now. Do not wait any longer. Hippolyta you are to ensure that Thomas is allowed to go with Diana," Athena commanded.

Diana explained to Thomas upon returning to the jet that it was him and him only that could go into Tartarus. Once inside the gates would close and be sealed until the soul was removed. At that time they should reopen and Thomas would be allowed to leave as long as he agreed to Hades tribute. Having no other choice, Thomas followed his mother as she walked towards the palace that housed the gates beneath it.


	19. Basketcase

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 19 "Basketcase"**

(The Gates of Tartarus.)

Thomas stood before the gates of Tartarus and watched as they opened. He expected to see an army of demons or perhaps a group of the damned there to greet him, but instead he saw Hades and Persephone both waiting to meet him. His step grandmother smiled slightly at him and indicated that he should follow them. He stepped through the gate and felt his mother restrain herself from following. He knew that she was having a hard time letting him face this on his own as she didn't trust Hades and he only hoped that what was being promised would be worth it.

"Thomas from what I understand you stopped Darkseid inside of your mind. That is an extraordinary feat," Persephone said as they neared the black palace.

"I had help from my wife," Thomas stated remembering how risked her life for him.

Hades looked at his grandson and smirked as he entered the palace with them. His face showed little fear for his own safety. To say that he was proud that his grandson had defeated Darkseid in a battle of the minds would be an understatement. Still he knew that Thomas would have to pay tribute for having the New God removed from within him. Finally, once they reached the inner most part of the palace, they stopped. Thomas looked before him and saw a large stone table with several shackles linked to it. He looked at Hades with an arched eyebrow.

"The table and shackles are for our both ours and your safety. The moment we remove Darkseid you will be lifted and the shackles will latch onto the New God. Before we start there is a matter of tribute. The rules apply to everyone including the children and grandchildren of the Gods," Hades said as he looked at his grandson.

"What tribute do you want?" Thomas asked as he looked at his grandfather.

(Lonely stretch of swampland within the united States)

A hand waved a small swarm of insects away from a tired face. A smile of familiarity beamed up from the face as the owner closed in on the old building. The sensors picked up the intruder instantly and then the walkway lowered from the building.

"Welcome Lex Luthor." The computerized voice said as Luthor walked into the abandoned structure

Lex looked at building and watched as the lights began to flicker on. He quickly looked around and saw that everything was still in place. The Legion of Doom had disbanded too quickly to take anything of value. He walked over to the elevator control and hit the button for the lowest level. Once in the bottom floor he stepped off and looked at the occupant he had came for. Inside of a special suspended animation container lay the still living body of Doomboy.

"It's been far too long since I've had to lay low. The suspended animation chamber should have given you the one basic command that matters. The command to follow my exact orders. It was hard getting your supposed dead body away from Cadmus, but it was worth it. I will release you, and you will take down Superman, and the entire Justice League for me," Luthor said as he hit the release code for the chamber.

Slowly the body of Doomboy rose from the chamber. He stepped sluggishly for a few moments before his mind and eyes righted. He looked directly at Luthor and stopped in his tracks.

"What can I do for you father?" Doomboy asked as he looked at Luthor.

(Project Cadmus headquarters Metropolis)

Amanda Waller lowered herself into a semi soft office chair. Cadmus had all but been done away with over the years. The Government still used them, but mainly they where used as black ops and terrorist countermeasure task force. She was still the head of the Meta tracking and maintaining program, which was soon on to be dismantled. To be honest she wasn't even sure why she had come in today until she looked into the eyes of the newest and most likely last scientist to graciously be allowed to work in this division.

"Dr. Powers, I was under the impression that you were supposed to show the newest Meta containment unit today. Let's see it and then have a vote on whether to go forward with the production of it," Amanda said as she raised a frail china teacup to her lips and took a drink from it.

"Ms Waller what I have to show you is nothing short of amazing. Come in infiltration unit one," Dr. Derek Powers said with a proud but sleazy smile on his face.

A moment after being told to come in, a shining silver female shaped android stepped into the room. The android bowed before Amanda and then turned to her creator.

"Infiltration Unit One, what is your mission programming?" Dr. Powers asked.

"I am to study the Meta humans and take the shape of one of them. Once this is done, I will be taking on that meta's personality and personal life to maintain a constant check on the other metas. If any of them appear to be going rouge I am to destroy them without question," Infiltration Unit One said as she looked at Amanda Waller with innocent eyes.

"How do you take on their appearance?" Amanda Waller asked.

"My nanobot covering creates simulated DNA of the Meta I am imitating. Once this is done I am able to tap into that meta's mind and convert every memory they have on themselves and their lives into data stored in my memory circuits. If they are married I am designed to fool even the spouse," it answered.

"Exactly how far does your programming allow you to go before you no longer are able to fool those around you?" Amanda asked.

"I am to do whatever measures are needed. If I am a meta that is married then my programming demands that I take over all duties including sexual intercourse," it answered simply.

"Dr. Powers I have reservations about this. The main reason is because of a nearly buried report out of Gotham City. Several years ago a massive computer known as H.A.R.D.A.C. or Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Computer became self-aware. It took the basic programming, which was to improve Gotham and went to the extreme. To improve Gotham it began replacing citizens with robotic versions of themselves. These versions where completely undetectable by the normal standards, and if not for the actions of the Batman, H.A.R.D.A.C. would have completed its objective and then moved on _improving_ the rest of the world," she said and she saw the irrtation on Dr. Powers' face.

"I am not finished yet. Another android like being known as Brainiac came to our planet and nearly destroyed it several times. Superman and the Justice League stopped him each time, but he normally managed to make his way back. Now what kind of fail safe do you have for your creation?" Amanda asked.

"My fail safe is a voice activated command. When I speak a secret password she will turn off her logical mind and become nothing more than a voice activated robotic servant," Dr. Powers said as he held his head high with pride.

"Your project is to be scrapped. Without a better fail-safe I will not allow her to roam free outside of the project. Infiltration Unit One you are to report to archives and await being disassembled." Amanda Waller said as her hand silently moved toward the security activation button.

For a moment time seemed to stand still. Amanda felt the button press down and then release, and then suddenly she watched fire explode from the barrel of the gun that Dr. Powers had brought with him. The first shot struck her in the chest and then next found her right shoulder. She coughed and felt something thick and coppery tasting filling her mouth. She raised her hand to her mouth and looked in horror at the blood now covering it. Her attention once again fell on Dr. Powers who was now holding the gun to his own head before speaking to Infiltration Unit One.

"Infiltration Unit One begin Project: Free Humanity. Remember my daughter I am always inside of your mind if you have questions," he said as he pulled the trigger and ended his own life.

"Yes father." Infiltration Unit One said as she fled from the headquarters.


	20. Kryptonite

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 20 "Kryptonite"**

(Suicide Slums – Metropolis)

Infiltration Unit one finally came to a stop and looked around at _her_ surroundings. This area of Metropolis would be ideal to hide within and maintain a low profile while attempting to find a Meta to copy and take their place. Almost as if on reflex hundreds of thousands of files on every Meta known to the Cadmus Project began appearing within her vision. She could almost sense which Meta humans would be the easiest to capture, recreate herself as, and then destroy if needed. As she began covering the various Meta humans her own innocent personality began questioning the reason for this. Everything she knew came from her _father_, but he never gave any kind of reason why she had to do this. She wanted to please him, but he left her alone in the world. He promised that his voice; his mind in a sense would be with her, but she doubted that she would get any better answer than he had already given. Slowly after several minutes she stopped trying to find a meta human to copy and instead began going through the files of those she had listed that could help her find some kind of meaning. After several minutes of searching she came across two different beings. The first was the Meta known as Superman, and the second was Dr. Fate. Being that she was much closer to Superman's known area she decided to find and question the famed superhero.

(Tartarus – Black Palace Throne Room)

Thomas looked at his grandfather with a completely confused expression. It was one thing to know what the gods and goddesses that occupied Mt. Olympus was like according to the traditional history his father had him to read, but to actually hear such a request for him-self was more than what he was prepared for.

"Let me see if I have this straight. You want to remove Darkseid from me, and then for a period of forty – eight hours you want to occupy my body while Persephone occupies the body of another person. Then you want to play a game of global hide and seek to find each other, which the only way to actually tell if you found each other is to sleep with each other. There is no way that is happening. I couldn't allow Doris to go through that." Thomas said as he crossed his arms.

"This is very little choice in the matter Thomas. If I do not remove Darkseid then the other gods and goddesses will side with Phobos. If they do decide to side with him it will mean your death. He wants to destroy you, and then thusly destroy Darkseid. I am your only chance to remove the new god without you dying." Hades said as he looked at his grandson.

"I will not entertain this idea. Doris is the one and only person I want to be with, and that includes my body. I would never betray her trust in me." Thomas said as he looked at his grandfather with disgust.

Persephone listened to her step grandson and felt what could be considered a sense of pride. She knew that Hades had cheated on her before, and of course she had retaliated by sleeping with the occasional mortal. Such was often the way of the gods, but to hear her step grandson who was now practically a god him-self say that such an action was not only wrong but unforgivable it set a new standard in her eyes. Still the truth was that Hades had to receive some kind of tribute. Each time a god did something for a mortal, or even for another god there was tribute paid. The complete truth was that the one the favor was being done for had to pay the tribute and the game Hades wanted to play would allow both her and her husband to experience each other on a whole new level. The cost of the game would be paid by Thomas, his wife, and whoever she chose. She knew that she could choose his wife and that would be the simplest, but knowing Hates he would look for her with those that have the closest connection to the gods. That would mean Lanis Kent, any of the amazons, or even Kal El's daughter with the new god Lashina. She shuttered to think what the cost to both her and Hates would be if Thomas' wife left him because of their actions. Her attention was brought back on the conversation between the grandson and grandfather when Hades sternly asked what his idea for tribute would be then.

"What if I spoke with Thor and Hera and I asked them if they could remove the seal on the gates of Tartarus for the seasons when Persephone was called away by her mother?" Thomas asked.

"Even if the son of Odin would agree to that it would not be his choice. The decision to lock me away in Tartarus came from Zeus and Hera does not have her sway with Zeus any longer. The moment she chose the Norse God over him Zeus washed him-self of her and has taken any willing maiden to bed with him that would have him." Hades said as he smirked at his grandson.

"Is there any way that I could challenge Zeus for the right to release you?" Thomas asked.

"No, you can't challenge him for the right to release me. You can challenge him for the right of the throne of Olympus. Being that you have the power of a god now and being that you are a descendant of a god you have the right." Hades said with a proud grin.

"My tribute to you will be my challenge to Zeus for the Throne of Olympus. Once I defeat him, and I shall defeat him I will remove the seal from the gates of Tartarus under the condition that you leave Tartarus and the underworld only to visit and be with Persephone." Thomas said.

"The tribute is accepted." Hades said as he pushed Thomas toward the table.

Thomas felt a huge and surging pain come from within him. He tried to pull away only to find that each movement felt as though he was being ripped in half. He struggled and finally using all of his willpower and strength he forced himself to pull away from the table behind him. The moment he pulled away he turned to see the new god Darkseid chained to the table and cursing at Hades.

"I shall overthrow you, and the moment I do I will make you watch as I defile your wife, destroy your palace, and then succeed where you failed by overthrowing all of Olympus." Darkseid said to Hades as he looked the god of the underworld straight in the eyes.

"You shall be quiet, reframe from making threats that you can never make good on, and become my personal slave and servant for all time. Thomas has stolen all of your spiritual energy and thusly your powers. Everything you where able to do he is now able to do." Hades said as he turned to his grandson.

"Go back to your mother and request to be taken directly to Athena's temple. Request an audience with the goddess and explain what your tribute has to be. She will set up the challenge with Zeus. I will not promise when the challenge will happen or what will be at stake, but I can promise that Zeus will not make the mistake of fighting you with any less power than he has at his disposal." Hades said as he looked at his grandson.

"The power he has at his disposal is all of the gods, goddesses, and their powers that live on Olympus right?" Thomas asked.

"The answer is both yes and no. He can't make them fight a direct challenge for him, but he can make them donate a small amount of their power to him. To beat him you can't rely just on the powers you have gained from Darkseid. You will have to also be several steps ahead of him. I suggest that you consult your father and mother on how to prepare for the challenge at hand." Hades said as he walked with Thomas back toward the gates of Tartarus.

The moment they arrived the gates opened and he looked at his mother as she waited for him to step through. Hades looked at his daughter and smirked for a moment.

"He has a warrior's spirit and a brilliant mind. I am proud to call him my grandson." Hades said as he watched Diana narrow her eyes at him.

"He is my son, and as far as I am concerned he has no connection with you what so ever." Diana said as they turned and began to leave.

"He has more in common with me than you shall ever know daughter." Hades said quietly to him-self knowing that Diana could still hear him with her super hearing.

After leaving the gates of Tartarus Thomas turned to his mother. She seemed almost lost in thought, and he could almost feel the question pouring out of her mind into his own.

"He demanded tribute for removing Darkseid." Thomas stated as they walked together.

He watched as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. The first question seemingly answered she began vocalizing the second question.

"What did he want to begin with?" She asked.

"Originally he wanted forty – eight hours in which he and Persephone would be released into two vessels. During that time they would search for each other. I was to be his vessel and there is no telling who would be the other vessel." Thomas answered.

To say that his mother was angry would be an understatement. She was looking back at the gates of Tartarus and considering going back and beating the gate in. He knew that his mother would not stop until she had beaten some sense into her _father's_ skull. He touched her arm and watched her attention turn back to him.

"What did you get him to settle for?" she asked.

"I am to challenge Zeus for the throne of Olympus." Thomas answered.

"Oh Hera…" she said as her eyes widened.

(The Legion of Doom's hidden headquarters)

Doomboy looked at his _father_ as Lex Luthor finished explaining what he wanted done. He smiled as Lex leaned back into an old chair and smiled at him.

"Do you understand where I want you to begin and what I want you to do?" Lex asked Doomboy.

"You want me to destroy the Justice League. The first person you want me to go after is Superman and of course the other two supposed kryptonians. Father Do I have to kill the girl Superwoman I would rather keep her as a pet." Doomboy stated as he looked at Lex.

"Of course you can keep her. Just ensure that she is immobilized. The same goes for all of the women in the Justice League. I want you to be able to keep all of them as well, but ensure that they can't use their powers on you." Lex said to his _son_.

Doomboy smiled and headed out the door. Within moments he had cleared several miles just as the original had years before. Each time he landed he destroyed what caught his eye in order to bring the Justice League down upon him. Finally his request was answered by a blinding flash of green light. He landed and grunted as the beam of green light intensified to a point where it was nearly penetrating his skin. Holding his hand out in front of him he deflected the light until he was upon its origin. He looked at the Green Lantern John Stewart who was attempting to increase the power out of blast. Without any hesitation he reached back and slammed his fist toward the Green Lantern. John barely had enough time to create a force field around him-self. The next moment saw Doomboy beating the force field into submission. He would slam the green orb that surrounded John Steward and each time the ring would lose more power.

Doomboy didn't notice or if he did he didn't care that Shayera Stewart was racing up behind him. Within a second the sound of her mace slamming into the back of Doomboy's head could be heard for miles. The super powered villain turned toward her and grinned. He waited for her to strike again and caught her arm. She looked at him with confusion until she felt his other hand reach around her and grab her wings.

"You are grounded little girl." He said as he pulled her wings and felt the bones break in his hands.

"AHHHHHH GOD NO!!!" She screamed at the top of her voice as he pulled her wings from her back. He felt something attempting to restrict him and turned to see a faint green energy forming a hand around his arms. He pulled away and felt the energy faultier and fade.

"Since she is grounded and you are out of juice I suppose it is time to finish this. Know that I am going to take her back with me and my father and I will enjoy her for years to come. You however will know that while you did everything you could it was not enough to save her." Doomboy said as he slammed John into the ground.

Shayera watched, unable to do anything from the paralyzing pain, as Doomboy repeatedly slammed John into the ground. She could hear the shallow breathing of her husband as he slowly began to give in to the trauma he was experiencing. Mentally she could see his back breaking, all of his ribs cracking. She watched as he gave into shock and passed out. She prayed that someone would pick up on his failing life signs and come to rescue him. It never occurred to her that what she faced would be worse, far, far worse than simply dying.

(Thirty minutes later back at the Legion of Doom's Headquarters.)

Shayera felt the bandages that Lex Luthor had applied to her back. True to form Lex had ensured that she was chained and gagged before leaving her. The communicator had been crushed by Doomboy who now referred to himself as Lex's son. She wanted to get sick every time that Doomboy looked at her. She tried to listen as Doomboy told his father where he was heading to next. She turned away from the monster as he came toward her. Smiling he licked her face and grabbed her shirt. She felt a ripping sensation and cursed mentally. Using her training she forced herself to go far back into her mind. The bastard might take her body, but he would not break her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Doomboy looked at the woman and growled at her. She was going to be a challenge. He slapped her trying to get an emotional reaction, but found a calm, cool, vicious woman.

"When the League finds me, and they will, I will make sure that you are given exactly what you deserve." Shayera said before she felt a hand strike her.

"Shut up." Doomboy said as he turned to his father.

"Father please enjoys my pet while I am gone." Doomboy said before he headed back out into world.

(Metropolis – Top of the Daily Planet)

Infiltration Unit One stood above the Daily Planet looking at the sky. She had begun to wonder why Superman would often visit this newspaper building and then she felt the file on him pass before her eyes. Everything Cadmus knew about Superman lay out before her eyes and she took in the information. His human name was Clark Kent. He was married to Lois Lane and had two children. She stopped the file before more facts flooded into her sight. She felt an odd sensation about looking into his personal information without him being there. It was strange, but she couldn't seem to force herself to learn more about him through the files without him at least knowing about it. After a moment she began emitting a high pitched tone from the top of the building. Within seconds she was answered by Superman landing on the roof in front of her.

"Is it really you?" She asked the question simply almost as if a child was asking if it was really him.

"Yes, I really am Superman. Who are you?" he asked.

"I was called Infiltration Unit One, but I don't know who I really am. My father created me to spy on all of you, but it doesn't feel right. Since he left I don't have any answers, and I don't know what to do with my life. I wanted to find someone who could help me." She said as she walked toward him.

"If I can help I will. I think that it would be best if you came with me and we speak to everyone." He said he lifted her and took off toward the League's secondary headquarters outside of Metropolis.

The moment they landed the young being looked around at all of the heroes. She had to keep her mind focused to keep from taking their shapes and forms. It wasn't until they came into a meeting room with pictures of various heroes and heroines that she finally lost the consternation and took the shape of Clark's younger cousin Kara.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to steal her form…" The young android said as she forced herself to change back.

"It seems that Cadmus has not finished with the league yet. I knew something was in the works. There have been too many cartoons with androids that are able to blend into society as their main characters. Cadmus might as well send out a notice of what they were doing." Came the voice of the second Question.

Victoria looked at the android as she came from the shadows. Like her father she had followed everything Cadmus had done and even how they transmitted information to other projects around the world. The creation of various _super being_ cartoons was one of the information transfer media. She had picked up on several projects that Cadmus was conducting and with the help of Barry she had managed to secure the information needed to confirm it.

"Question she has came to us for help." Superman said.

"A very likely story I'm sure. Tell me Superman is it easier to attempt to destroy your enemies with an open attack or with an attack hidden behind a friendly smile and handshake?" Question asked before she left the room.

"I understand her reservation about me being here. None of you know where I come from, and you have no idea of what I might do. I can only promise that I will not purposely hurt any of you." The young android said with a sad voice.

(Themyscira – Hippolyta's Palace)

Bruce watched as Thomas reappeared with Diana. Thomas appeared to be calm, cool and collective; however, Diana seemed to be extremely distressed. He walked toward her and heard her curse in English for the first time in years.

"Damn Hades and his tribute." Diana said as she looked at her mother.

"Mother something terrible is going to happen." Diana said as she felt her mother's arms pull her into an embrace.

"Shhhh… Now tell me my little sun and stars what has happened?" Hippolyta asked as she looked at her daughter.

"Hades would not remove Darkseid without tribute. He wanted to take control of Thomas' body for forty-eight hours while Persephone took control of another's body for the same amount of time. Thomas convinced him to change his mind, but now… he wants Thomas to challenge Zeus for the throne of Olympus!" Diana exclaimed.

Bruce heard the news and felt his stomach sink. There was no doubt that with Darkseid's powers Thomas would be a force that could be near unstoppable, but to challenge Zeus could be nothing short of insane. Darkseid while a god had several times fallen to Clark in battle and that fact alone stood out in his mind. He was certain that the new god hadn't used all of the power he had available, but how much stronger was he really? Now Thomas would have to face a god who believed in nothing short of overkill when it came to his enemies.

"You have to appear before Athena don't you?" Bruce asked Diana and Thomas.

Hippolyta looked toward Bruce with a questioning glance. She knew what Diana and Thomas had to do, but how did this mortal? The answer came in a nod.

"What will happen to you?" Doris asked Thomas as she walked closer to him while holding both of their children.

"I will have to face off against Zeus. I don't know when or where I only know that once we face off together it will be until either Zeus gives or is completely defeated." Thomas answered.

"This is insane! We don't even know if Darkseid was as strong as Zeus or not! Thomas can't you get out of this?" Athena asked him.

"No sis. If I don't face Zeus then Darkseid will be released back into me. Even without his powers his presence is enough to darken my own decisions. Every time I thought about something I slowly felt myself considering exactly how long it would take to bring absolute order to universe. I could feel my thoughts shifting toward what he would think and I can't be like that." Thomas said as he looked at her.

"Dad would know quite a bit about Darkseid. Maybe you should ask him how strong he really was." Kal suggested.

The response to the question was two sets of eyes giving him the bat glare. He quickly turned away and moved behind Athena. Seemingly happy with his response both Bruce and Thomas turned their attention back toward each other.

"Dad I have to do this." Thomas said.

"They're forcing you to play their game." Bruce said

"Then I'll have to play dirty." Thomas replied with a grin.

Bruce knew exactly what he meant at that moment. If they would force him to play by their _rules_ then he would truly play by their _rules_. Zeus would cheat without question, but he wouldn't expect for a mortal or immortal from the mortal world to think about cheating. Knowing Thomas he would find help with the one god that Zeus now hated more than any other. Thor god of thunder would be paid a visit once they left Themyscira.

Diana, Hippolyta, and Thomas all walked toward Athena's temple. Once inside Hippolyta began the ritual to summon Athena before them. Once complete the goddess appeared and looked at Thomas. She almost seemed to know what he was going to ask her.

"Thomas I have spoken with Persephone already. You do realize what will happen if you decide to carry out this challenge don't you?" She asked.

"I will be forced to face Zeus in, what would be considered by most of the world, mortal combat. We would fight until one of us is completely defeated and the other wins. Each would put up something of great value to him-self." Thomas answered.

"Yes, that is essentially correct. Zeus would be protecting the throne of Olympus, which to him is the most important thing he has left. I already know what you will be protecting and you know it as well. She is everything to you, and you will be protecting her. If Zeus falls then you will gain the throne, and if you fall then Zeus will gain another woman for his collection. Are you sure that you wish to do this? Consider it carefully." She said.

"I have to do this. If I do not then Darkseid's actions will live on through me. That will ensure that my wife, my children, and everyone else will die. I will not cause that." Thomas answered her.

"Very well you have chosen and now I will inform Zeus of the challenge and when I do expect him to answer at any time." Athena said as she disappeared.


	21. Duality

(I want to take a moment to dedicate this story to the person who inspirited it. My Mom who has been a protector, supporter, and the strongest woman I know. I only hope that she finds the peace she so richly deserves. I also want to thank DaisyJane for beta reading the last few chapters. We are going to do a complete clean and edit of the story later on. Thanks to everyone who has read the story and a special thanks to those who have left reviews.)

**The Black Sheep**

**Chapter 21 "Duality"**

(Wally and Shay's home in Central City)

Shay felt her husband's arms around her. She had finally stopped screaming and went to sobbing almost uncontrollably. Naturally Wally had freaked out only for her to convince him that it wasn't her who was hurt. When the realization dawned on him he did all he could do for the moment which was to comfort her. Shay had lived through watching John being beaten to no end, feeling Doomboy rip away not only part of her identity but part of her body and finally watched and felt Doomboy and then Luthor take turns raping her. All of this had been through Shayera's eyes and it was almost too much to take. Her _twin sister_ was now a prisoner and was being subjected to something worse than simply being held prisoner or even being killed. She could sense the feeling of despair for John radiating off of Shayera. Even with all her _twin_ had been through she was still more concerned for her husband than for her own safety.

"Wally we have to contact the League and we need to have them go out to Green Lantern. He's hurt bad and if he doesn't get help soon he will be dying. Afterward we need to find Shayera and make sure that Luthor and that monster of his gets exactly what they deserve." Shay said as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved.

The two of them both headed toward the area that Shay had seen the fight between her _twin_, John, and Doomboy. Once there they saw John or at least what appeared to be John. His face was swollen and bruised. They could see the bones sticking jaggedly out in places. The fact that he was still breathing was amazing. Wally quickly ran over to him and with every bit of speed and grace he could muster set to perform first aid. Once he had tended to the wounds he knew he could treat he called for John to be transported directly to the medical bay on the Watchtower.

"You saved him sweetheart." Wally said as he looked at Shay.

"No, you saved him I only saw him. We need to find Shayera, but she is slipping in and out of consciousness." Shay said as she looked toward the direction she could sense her _twin_ when she was awake.

(Thor and Hera's palace in Central City)

Hera walked into the room where her daughter was working on another project. It had become obvious that her daughter was goddess of invention, but every waking moment the girl was working on a project, spending time with the Teen Titans, or going out to clubs. The young goddess finally pulled herself away from the robotic sentry she had finished and wiped the grease from her brow. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled into a pony tail which was now sticking to her neck from sweat.

"Αγάπη μια what are you doing in here?" Hera asked her daughter. She had been a mother before, but unlike her other children she felt more of a connection with her and Thor's daughter. She had accepted the name she was given in honor of the _godmother_ that had saved both of them from the sword that Loki had placed over them.

Brunnhilde turned to her mother and smiled. She pressed a button on the switch which let the sentry begin to operate. The moment it began to move seamlessly she cut the power and let the sentry shut down.

"I was building a new robotic soldier for the Titans. I wanted to surprise both team leaders Raven and Cyborg." She said as she walked toward her mother.

Hera watched as her daughter suddenly stopped. Her face showed anguish and sorrow. Brunnhilde fell to her knees and tried to balance herself to keep from falling forward.

"Αγάπη μια what's wrong?" Hera asked as she ran to her daughter.

"I can see it through the machines… Mom… He's killing her! A man is killing Mrs. Stewart!" Brunnhilde said in a panic as she watched Luthor through the camera lens that was picking up his actions with Shayera Stewart.

(A long closed off cave located in Iceland.)

Loki looked at the runes above the cave. His father was forcing his hand now, and he would see the end of days come to Odin and Thor. The ancient one, killer of gods and mortals alike lay dormant within the cave. He walked forward and withdrew a goblet of fresh elk's blood from his pack. He poured the blood within the cave and heard a terrible growl emit from the darkness of it.

"Low Vánagandr I Loki frees you from the bonds of this Earthly prison! Arise and bring about Ragnarök to this world! Odin and Thor who had trapped you through trickery and magic await the vengeance you shall pour out on them!" Loki shouted.

The ground began to shake as eons of dirt and filth flew from the mouth of the cave. The great wolf Vánagandr finally came out and looked at Loki. Snarling the wolf changed his form into that of a man dressed in a dirty wolf's fur. In his right hand he held a blade made from the fangs of his brothers and in his left hand he held Freya's lock of hair that Thor had used to trick him into the cave.

"Speak trickster so that I may judge if I shall kill you now or later." Vánagandr said looking at Loki.

"Vánagandr great wolf and killer of gods I free you for vengeance upon Odin and Thor. They have banished me from Asgard land of my birth. I can no enter into the realm of Asgard until Odin is dead. I promise my allegence to you until those that trapped you are dead." Loki said knelling Vánagandr.

"I shall test your words Loki. Once I have defeated Thor and Odin I want you to bring me Freya as tribute. At that point you shall bring me Thor's youngest child so that I may feast on their blood and soul." Vánagandr said as he looked over the Norse god of deceit.

"It shall be done my lord." Loki said as he knelt before the killer of the gods.

"Go to the underworld controlled by the Greek God Hades. Once there release my army. The ship made from the bones and nails of the damned will sail once again and the world shall face the wrath of the great wolf Vánagandr once more." Vánagandr said with a smile.

(Tartarus – deep hidden valley where several thousand demonic warriors are fighting amongst themselves.)

Loki appeared within Tartarus and watched the demons battling with each other. Much like in Asgard and Valhalla the demons would slay one another and at the end of it they would pull themselves together only to fight once more. He smiled at the moronic demons as they tried in vain to stay their ranks only to be killed and it go to the one who killed them. Finally after several small battles Loki walked forward and looked at the demons.

"Army of Vánagandr your time has come! Ragnarök has started and Vánagandr has risen from the cave that once held him. Rise up and follow me to the beginning of the end of days for those miserable bastards on Earth!" Loki said as he threw his hands in the air.

The demons began cheering at the sound and at once the ship created from the bones and nails of the damned was boarded. The ship sailed for a few moments before it disappeared out of Tartarus and appeared off of the coast of Themyscira.

(The shores of Themyscira)

Philippus looked at the ship which headed their way. If not for her demanding to remain on a rotation of guard duty she would not have been the first to see the ship carrying the legion of demons headed toward the island. Without any hesitation she sounded the alarm summoning every able bodied Amazon to the coast for war.

She turned to see hundreds of her sisters coming toward the coast and smiled. She smiled with pride as their preparations to stop another invasion like the one Hercules had lead paid off. She turned back toward the ship and was greeted with a black arrow which sank deep into her bosom. She screamed in pain as the dark metal forged from the pits of hell itself began burning her soul before killing her.

"Sisters wait not to attack!" She shouted before she passed out from the pain.

(Hippolyta's palace)

Hippolyta heard the alarm and looked at her granddaughter. Athena nodded and turned to look Kal in the eyes.

"Kal don't try to be a hero until you've completely gotten over the kryptonite poisoning." Athena said as she took off.

Her father watched and without being noticed he too headed toward the battle.

(Behind the army of Amazons)

Diana followed her _sisters_ and mother to the battle. She looked to see the Demons overpowering the Amazon forces and watched as the demons not only defeated by disgraced the other warriors. In the distance she could see Thomas running through the demons throwing them out of the way as if they were nothing to him. She turned to see Athena fighting alongside of her grandmother and _sisters_. Her attention then turned to a tree where a demon finished penning Bruce to it. He had two dark metal swords driven through his shoulders and an arrow that had pierced his stomach. She felt her entire world fall apart as she looked at how frail he was.

"BRUCE!!!!" Diana cried as she ran toward her husband. She reached him and felt his forehead which was burning up with fever. She turned to see her daughter fighting six demons at once and holding her own.

"Athena get your father out of here now!" She shouted to her daughter. She then turned to see Thomas running through the demons throwing them out of the way.

Thomas could feel the power from Darkseid flowing through his veins. The demons which seemed to be more than a match for the Amazons seemed little more than paper weights to him. He turned to see a larger and more human looking one not far from him. This strange looking creature was wearing dirty wolf fur and carrying a sword made from what seemed like bone.

"You are not an immortal like these here. I had believed these to be valkyries, but they do not have the stench of Odin on them. No these belong to the Olympian gods. You however have the stench of a god on you. Prepare to become food for the god killer Vánagandr." Vánagandr said as he rushed toward Thomas.

Thomas didn't know what deflected Vánagandr but he watched the creature that called itself the god killer knocked back by an unseen force. He turned to see Lilth standing there breathing hard. She fell to her knees nearly drained.

"Lilth my love are you alright?" Damien asked as he fought with the demons.

"I am fine my love. I just had ensure that your brother who is perhaps our best chance of winning this battle didn't go and get himself killed before he could make a difference." Lilth said as she started to stand.

"Destroy them all! Once the Amazons fall then the world shall follow!" Loki shouted with delight as the army of demons began to fight further into the island.


End file.
